history

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.

CUNY constitutional law professor Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, a Kansas City native, will return to her hometown next month for a Rainy Day Books event about her new book “A Protest History of the United States.”

Heidi Pitre’s series merges literature, nostalgia, and history, featuring pen-and-ink drawings on about 160 vintage library checkout cards. Interest in the pieces has expanded, but her supply of old-school, ephemeral cards is dwindling.

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.

Desde su departamento en St. Louis, a principios del siglo 20, el reformista y activista mexicano Ricardo Flores Magón denunció el creciente aumento de la desigualdad económica, la explotación laboral y la corrupción política en México y Estados Unidos.

In 1912, Kansas City, Missouri, became the first city in the U.S. to arrest people for jaywalking. Fueled by auto industry propaganda, this decision set off a nationwide trend to redesign our roads for the car — at the expense of everyone else.

Four Notre Dame High School students will unveil a plaque next week marking the site of a notorious slave prison near Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis.

The Kansas City Library and Kansas City Star have collaborated to release The Star's historical photo archives, which features hundreds of thousands of photos spanning much of the 20th century.

Lawrence violist Mary Tuven and composer and bassist Charles Kelso Hoag often brought their daughter, Andrea Hoag, to their wintertime performances when she was just a small child. Now all grown up, Hoag brings those decades-old memories to life in her short story “The Christmas Musicians.”

Since 1956, Leila Cohoon had amassed the world’s largest collection of hair art and jewelry — intricate works made of human hair. Her museum in Independence, Missouri, was the only one of its kind. But when Cohoon died last year, the future of this Kansas City institution — and the unusual tradition it preserved — was suddenly an open question. Suzanne Hogan speaks to KCUR’s Julie Denesha to find the answer.

Leila's Hair Museum, the most unusual attraction in Independence, Missouri, closed in September. Thanks to the founder’s granddaughter, the massive collection of wreaths made out of human hair is finding new homes at museums across the country.

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.”