Race and Culture

A 117-year-old historically-Black church in Missouri is getting much-needed restoration work thanks to a grant from the National Heritage fund — and a crew of about a dozen volunteer builders.

Racist and nativist rhetoric has made headlines in the 2024 election, and immigrants and refugees around Kansas City have taken notice. Plus: One of Missouri's few openly gay Republican lawmakers says his vote on transgender rights cost him his party's support — and reelection.

As nativist rhetoric hits a fever pitch ahead of the 2024 election, immigrants and refugees in Kansas City question their safety, and their future, in the U.S.

Kansas City has long been associated with barbeque, fountains and jazz music — but accordions? Meet the 90-year-old woman who is keeping the city's rich legacy alive. Plus: Kansas City journalist Ebony Reed takes an "immersive" dive into the nation's racial wealth gap in her new book.

After 18 months of renovations, the historic Westport home will serve again as a center for stories from the old western frontier. 'We need to tell the story of enslavement and the Native American tribes that were affected by the settlement,' one historian says.

The longtime activist and community leader spent his life fighting to improve the lives of Mexican American residents in the Westside neighborhood, and was a force of nature who “transformed the community at the sociopolitical, cultural and educational levels.”

One naturalized Kearney resident, originally from Mexico, is ready to make her voice heard in the 2024 election. Nearly 900,000 immigrants and refugees became U.S. citizens in 2023, and the rapidly growing population could impact elections.

The festival's second year kicked off this week at the Screenland Armour theater in North Kansas City. This year’s mission is to celebrate Black filmmakers from Missouri whose work explores contemporary and historical social issues.

Only about 5% of college baseball players and coaches are African American. At Kansas Christian College, team leaders have made a deliberate effort to recruit from inner-city Kansas City — boosting Black representation in the process.

Desde la década de 1950, el baloncesto masculino latino ha sido una tradición en el barrio de Westside. Un icónico torneo de baloncesto que le rinde homenaje a un antiguo entrenador de adolescentes del barrio, Tony Aguirre, se ha juntado con las celebraciones del fin de semana del Cinco de Mayo para recaudar fondos para los deportes en la comunidad latina.

Ivan McClellan's new photobook, “Eight Seconds,” documents the Black riders, ropers and rodeo queens encountered in dusty arenas around the United States. McClellan's love for the sport and subculture led him to start his own rodeo in Portland, Oregon, where he lives.

Latino men's basketball has been a Westside tradition since the 1950s. An iconic basketball tournament that honors a former youth coach in the neighborhood, Tony Aguirre, has been paired with Cinco de Mayo weekend celebrations to raise money for local Latino sports.