An Era of Rights

Overview

An Era of Rights will take a broad view of Kansas City in the 1950-1980 period, encompassing the fight for justice and equality by African Americans, Women, Hispanics, LGBTQ, and disabled persons. During the Civil Rights era, residents of Kansas City grappled with its long history of segregation and discrimination against minority populations. Despite notable progress in some areas, these efforts never completely ended structural discrimination, realized equal opportunities, or healed the fissures of Kansas City’s racially divided past.

The publicly available website will feature original, high quality scholarship commissioned by the library and a collection of digitized primary source materials, such as photographs, correspondence, postcards, and audio/visual recordings from regional cultural heritage organizations, including the library’s Missouri Valley Special Collections. Maps, multimedia, and other features will further enhance the learning experience.