Black History

Johnson County's Negro Creek runs through southern Overland Park and Leawood, and went mostly unknown and unmapped. But when social justice protests emerged in 2020, people took notice and petitioned to change the name. After years of research and public discussions, the creek will keep its name, but get new signage explaining its history.

New signage is bringing long-forgotten history to light at a Johnson County creek, and reframes a name that residents have debated for years. Instead of changing name of Negro Creek, local leaders chose to tell its story publicly.

St. Louis Public Radio spoke to Lyah LeFlore-Ituen about her plans for the African American History Initiative, the importance of preserving Black history and what makes St. Louis' Black history so remarkable.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum recently revealed its vision for a new, expanded campus and hotel that will make it possible for the museum to host more exhibits and turn 18th and Vine into a destination. It’s just one of many ongoing development projects aimed at revitalizing the historic jazz district.

Richardson founded an association aimed at advancing the media careers of people of color at a time when diverse voices were not prioritized. ‘His life’s work stands as a testament to the power of representation,’ his family wrote.

Watkins was a founder of the political organization Freedom, Inc. and one of the Kansas City Council’s first two Black members. He was a vocal opponent of Highway 71 — although parts of the parkway were eventually named after him. An event at the Kansas City Public Library on Sunday, Feb. 15, will remember his full life and legacy.

Vine Street Brewing is welcoming a restaurant partner, the founder of Urban, into its space, combining chicken and beer into a new concept: Vine Street Chicken Co. Kansas City.

As an 11-year-old, Sarah Rector became the richest Black child in America, but danger in Oklahoma led to her family moving to Kansas City. Rector’s story, long forgotten from the history books, is now the subject of the 2025 film “Sarah’s Oil.”

A new report from St. Louis University researchers found that many Black teachers in Missouri faced employment termination or other forms of classroom displacement as a result of integration between 1954 and 1970.

At 84 years old, Willa Robinson is retiring and closing Willa’s Books and Vinyl, the store where she’s spent years selling works by Black artists. She’s placing the beloved space in the hands of The Kansas City Defender, which will preserve her vast archive.

Mayor Quinton Lucas convened a Commission on Reparations back in May 2023, with the goal of producing recommendations on how the city could repair harms from racism. Two years later, much of that work has yet to begin.

The designation from the National Park Service opens up the Quindaro Townsite to new opportunities for federal funding and assistance. The ruins, now deteriorating, were once a haven for Black people escaping slavery and for Free State abolitionists.