Want to learn more about Black history in Kansas City? These spots have you covered
Black history is everywhere in Kansas City. It’s in the districts, street names, restaurants and anywhere else that pops up in your head about this city.
This Black history month, take some time out of your days to visit these stops and learn more about our city.
AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE TRAIL
The community-driven trail highlights submissions from Kansas City residents and when you have the opportunity, you can travel to these places and create your own trail of Black history.
The full list of the African American Heritage Trail sites is here, but below is a sample of where you can visit.
If you’d like to take your own journey through historic sites in Kansas City, you can use this map to find the closest place to you and start from there.
AMERICAN JAZZ MUSEUM
On Kansas City’s iconic 18th and Vine is the American Jazz Museum, where jazz lives. The exhibits host collections of artifacts and history that tell the story of jazz’s impact in Kansas City and beyond.
Look at Charlie Parker’s Grafton saxophone, Claude ‘Fiddler’ Williams’ violin, Ernie Williams’ bass drum and many more instruments from some of jazz’s greatest performers. It’s also home to the John J.H. Baker Film Collection, which has over 2,000 rolls of film, photographers and other items that tell the visual history of jazz.
You can purchase tickets here, take a virtual tour or visit the digital exhibit.
NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL MUSEUM
The American Jazz Museum isn’t the only piece of Black history on 18th and Vine, as the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is in the same building. If you missed it the first time, check out this breakdown of what’s inside the museum, from game-used jerseys to a collection featuring 300 signed baseballs from Black baseball players.
The museum is now a stop on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, making it the third in Missouri and the second in the Kansas City metro area. Make it a stop on your adventure to learn more about Black history.
This month, admission is free, courtesy of the Kansas City Royals and Royals Charities.
JOHNSON COUNTY MUSEUM
The museum’s newest exhibit, “Redlined: Cities, Suburbs, Segregation,” takes a deep dive into how redlining — the act of disinvesting in specific neighborhoods in a given city — shaped Johnson County into what it is today.
The exhibit has over 120 images, display cases, a video featuring community members who were impacted by redlining and an art exhibit by the African American Artists Collective, featuring artwork related to the history and legacy of redlining.
Are we missing pieces of Black history in Kansas City? Let us know at kcq@kcstar.com.