A People's History of Kansas City

Tamara Blackwell, Miss Wheelchair America 2024 and a passionate disability advocate, shares her journey with muscular dystrophy and the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She discusses how grassroots activism and figures like Bob Dole were crucial in passing this landmark law. The conversation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the disability community, the historical significance of key advocacy actions, and the vital role of collective activism in achieving equality and accessibility for all.

Kansas City is preparing to welcome soccer fans from all around the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It’s the smallest host city in North America, and has a lot of work left to get ready. But how did we get to this historic moment? Kansas City may not have embraced the sport at all if not for the immigrants who fought for the beautiful game, back before there were even soccer fields to play on. Suzanne Hogan brings us the first installment of a new mini-series on Kansas City’s soccer history.

As the gay rights movement began picking up steam in the 1970s, Barbara Grier co-founded the largest lesbian publishing company in the world — right from her Kansas City home. KCUR's Olivia Hewitt reports that Grier was bold, controversial, and unstoppable in her mission to make books reflect the people and love stories in her life.

Bruce R. Watkins Drive is an iconic, 10-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 71 that displaced thousands of people in Kansas City. It divided communities, sparked a movement and led to a rare compromise that residents still live with today. KCUR’s Celisa Calacal reports that a new federal grant is trying to mend some of those wounds.

Kansas City is asking voters to buy into its public school system for the first time in nearly 60 years. Even after Kansas City Public Schools regained accreditation and turned around student performance, its crumbling buildings offer a persistent reminder of the city’s disinvestment and distrust — a relationship strained by decades of racism, a history-making desegregation case, and plenty of internal turmoil. KCUR’s Jodi Fortino explains how the city and its schools got to this critical point.

Explore the fascinating history behind the name of Kansas City's beloved football team. Discover how cultural implications and debates over identity shaped the team's branding. Uncover the ambitious vision of Lamar Hunt and how the city rallied to welcome the Dallas Texans. Delve into the ongoing discussions around cultural representation, including fan customs like the 'tomahawk chop.' Amidst celebrations of recent Super Bowl appearances, the complexities of fandom and heritage reveal a rich tapestry of community pride.

Discover the surprising journey of popcorn from being shunned in movie theaters to becoming an iconic snack. Hear the inspiring tale of Julia Braden, a widow who turned tragedy into triumph by revolutionizing popcorn sales during the Great Depression. Explore the cultural significance of popcorn, its nostalgic connections to the cinema, and the intense rivalries among popcorn vendors in Kansas City. Dive into the rich history of movie theaters, where popcorn transformed the viewing experience and created a lively social atmosphere.

Nora Holt was the first Black person in the United States to earn a master’s degree in music. A prolific composer of more than 200 musical pieces and a club-hopping socialite, she once wrote a 42-page work for a 100-piece orchestra. But you’ve probably never heard any of it. Scholars have dreamt of finding her stolen manuscripts for nearly a century, according to Classical KC’s Sam Wisman.

Kansas City composer Dana Suesse was behind some of the most popular American music of the 1930s. Nicknamed “the girl Gershwin,” Suesse’s songs like “You Oughta Be In Pictures” and “My Silent Love” were performed by stars like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. As Classical KC’s Lilah Manning reports, Suesse blazed a path on Tin Pan Alley in a music scene otherwise dominated by men.

In 1976, Kansas City, Missouri, was the unlikely host of a drama-filled Republican presidential convention that ended up defining the conservative agenda for decades to come. Incumbent President Gerald Ford found himself in a heated battle with then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan to win over delegates and obtain the party’s nomination. WFAE’s Ben Bradford tells the story of how this “shoot-out” shaped the modern GOP. (This episode comes to us from the podcast Landslide.)