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A stone’s throw away from Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine district sits the 2400 block of Montgall Avenue. The now overlooked neighborhood was once home to some of the city’s most prominent Black figures of the 20th century.
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In the 1900s, the Neck neighborhood was the center of the Black community in Independence, Missouri. But by 1969, the neighborhood had been demolished — thanks to urban renewal policies put into place by President Harry S. Truman, who lived nearby. A special episode from the KCUR Studios podcast A People's History of Kansas City.
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Events Saturday and Sunday in Kansas City celebrate the emancipation of enslaved Africans in America and provide opportunities for families to research their history.
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'This is now real.' Residents react to foreclosure of Kansas City’s oldest Black-owned housing co-opThe possibility of foreclosure has loomed over Parade Park Homes for more than a year. Now that it's happening, some residents are relieved. But without clear plans for what the changes entail, others are nervous they'll be priced out of their homes.
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The first ever Juneteenth Film Festival in Kansas City is this year's launching pad for African American festivities. It's part of the largest and longest running celebration of the emancipation of enslaved people in the region.
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The Mayor's Commission on Reparations met for the first time on Tuesday, May 23 at City Hall. The group’s task is to study how slavery and racial segregation policies over the last century harmed Kansas City’s Black citizens in areas such as education and housing.
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Logan Richardson is recognized for his genre-bending approach to jazz and Black American music. In his latest album, 'Holy Water,’ his music continues to confront deep emotion.
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Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has appointed 13 members to the city's new commission on reparations, which is tasked with looking into reparations for slavery and discrimination for Black residents. They're focusing on a few specific impact areas, including housing, economic development and criminal justice.
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Pfc. Willy F. James Jr. was among seven African American troops unjustly denied the country’s highest military award for valor during World War II. Veterans and service members at James' memorial shared their thoughts on his legacy.
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Wilkes and his wife of 61 years, Wanda, lived in Merriam, Kansas, for nearly six decades. He served two terms as the mayor of Merriam, from 2001 to 2009, and was "instrumental" in the town's growth.
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St. Louis County restored the only known remaining African American school in the county. During the 1900s, African Schoolhouse No. 4 held about 20 Black children each school year before it closed in 1950.
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Wichita’s National Baseball Congress has showcased the best collegiate and semipro players in the country for nearly 100 years. But of all the players who have played here, perhaps none is as significant to the city’s baseball history as Leroy “Satchel” Paige.