Kansas City Black History 2021 Book

In partnership with the Kansas City Public Library, the Black Archives of Mid-America and LINC, the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center has been gathered the stories of Kansas City’s great men and women who forever shaped our city and our nation.

The history materials, which have been distributed for free by the thousands into schools, libraries, homes and community centers, warrant a meaningful pause to take them all in.

The 2021 project will debut a free 44-page book compiling the stories of more than 70 influential figures honored over the past ten years — with new essays from Mayor Quinton Lucas and other contemporary voices.

Since education has always been a primary goal of the project, historians and educators are crafting lesson plans to accompany the history that curriculum along with digital copies of the book can be found at kcblackhistory.org. Additional information about the project can be found at kclinc.org/blackhistory.