Black History

Vivian Wilson Bluett is an emerging, self-taught artist who wants her art to create community conversations around social and racial justice and history.

Students and staff at Kansas City's Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts are celebrating Women's History Month by recreating photos of famous women in history.

Christina Anderson's play follows a Black family's journey through the years after desegregating the public pool in their fictional Kansas town. The show will tour 10 Kansas City community centers and libraries, after completing a run at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

Taylor remains one of the franchise's most captivating offensive players. After his career as a player ended, Taylor made Kansas City his permanent home.

Spread across two coffee shops and a bookstore, the “Black/Queer Kansas City” exhibit will showcase forgotten figures of local LGBTQ history — and hopefully encourage more Kansas Citians to share their own stories.

Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt’s dedication to discovering Black athletes dates back to the 1960s, from selecting a Black player first in the 1963 AFL draft to hiring the first full-time African American pro scout.

Though the amended legislation no longer includes the phrase "critical race theory" or bars the teaching of it specifically, critics still worry it could hinder the teaching of history.

The Republican-backed bill seeks to restrict educators from teaching certain concepts, such as “individuals of any race, ethnicity, color, or national origin are inherently superior or inferior.” The legislation does not define "critical race theory," which is not taught in elementary or secondary schools, but the buzzword overwhelmed hearings.

On Jan. 21, Washington Chapel C.M.E. Church was broken into and a piece of a memorial stained glass window removed. The church was built in 1907 by formerly enslaved families in Parkville, Missouri.

The Neck neighborhood was in the center of historic Independence, Missouri, and housed the biggest Black community in the city. When the Harry S. Truman Library was built to honor the president, urban renewal policies he put in place destroyed the neighborhood.

The Neck neighborhood was in the center of historic Independence and housed the biggest Black community in the city. When the Harry S. Truman Library was built to honor the president, urban renewal policies he put in place destroyed the neighborhood.

Reparation efforts in urban area are gaining national attention, as both Kansas City and St. Louis study what they can do to make amends for harm inflicted on African Americans. But elsewhere in Missouri, rural areas are taking their own steps toward righting historic wrongs on a neighborhood level.