John “Buck” O’Neil founded the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in 1990. It is the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating African-American baseball history and its impact on the social advancement of America. Originating in a one-room office in 1991, the NLBM expanded to a 10,000 square-foot space in the cultural complex known as the […]

Peaceful, quiet, contemplative, witnessing – all descriptors of Dean Mitchell’s art thoughtfully created in a variety of media. Whether this prolific, powerhouse artist is working in oil, watercolor, or acrylic, the message is the same… sit back, take a look, don’t be in such a rush, see for yourself exactly what this world is offering […]

TRAILBLAZER: André Davis, Rising Star Class of 2019 André Davis has often contemplated his legacy. He said, “When we as Brown/Black people are being invited to the ‘table,’ how are we making space for others? I believe we all should consider operating from an ‘abundance’ and not a ‘scarcity’ mindset. It’s not just enough to […]

The vision of The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City is a united community embracing stories of the African-American experience; its mission is to educate and inspire our community by presenting and promoting appreciation for Black culture through our stories.  Local Actor-director-entrepreneur Damron Russel Armstrong established the company during the 2016-2017 season with Dreamgirls in […]

In 2022 Terri Barnes, president and founder of The Nia Project, set out to create for Kansas City, the first-of-its-kind publication: The Beloved Community – Your Black Nonprofit Resource Directory. “The directory is intended to serve as a guide to help community members find services, as well as help organizations become aware of other agencies […]

An archive requires a vast amount of material, often created by a large number of people during a period of years that may be counted in decades, centuries, or generations. What separates an archive from a hodge-podge of random files and miscellaneous items is often the vision and discipline of one person. In the case […]

Harriman-Jewell Series hosted its 1,000th Concert Celebration with the Kansas City debut performance of Pretty Yende, soprano. Jackie and John Middelkamp were the honorary chairmen, and Suzanne Shank served as the chairman of the January 7th event. Benefactors enjoyed a spectacular concert and a delicious post-performance dinner at The Carriage Club. Guests celebrated the artists […]

The Carriage Club was the site for Kansas City Ballet Guild’s  annual Nutcracker Luncheon, which was held on December 15th. John Livingston played holiday classics on the piano. The decorations included a variety of nutcrackers (available for purchase!). Jeffrey Bentley, Kansas City Ballet, spoke about the Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. President Melissa Ford presented […]

Ursula Terrasi and Jim Miller are the honorary chairs for Truman Library Institute’s Wild About Harry, which will be held on April 20th at the Muehlebach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. The 24th annual event will celebrate the 75th anniversary of President Harry S. Truman’s “Year of Great Decisions,” 1948, which paved the […]

TRAILBLAZER: Author Olivia Hill Author, Artist, Activist, and Playwright Olivia Hill was born and raised in Kansas City. She is an author, artist, activist, and a playwright. Her memoir, Travel North Black Girl, is a story of self-discovery and empowerment. Set in the early 1980s, Olivia recounts her experiences of moving to the remote indigenous […]

Mr. and Mrs. John Clark Hjalmarson of Leawood, Kansas, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kathryn Olivia Hjalmarson, to Jason Stephen Blake, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Arthur Randolph MacKenzie Blake of San Diego, California. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gerson, the late […]

“Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” – Stephen King I often see and hear requests for classics that should either be revisited or books that have stood the test of time. Although everyone has incredibly diverse tastes, there are books that have and have not aged well. Literature is something that should be […]

Kansas City Young Matrons held its annual Mistletoe Party on December 9th. Members and their guests gathered at Blue Hills Country Club and enjoyed a festive evening filled with fellowship and fun.    Featured in the January 21, 2023 issue of The Independent.

Gina Brozenic, Lindsey Golubski, and Sara Willimon were the co-chairs, with Marsha Oyer serving as Cotillion chair, for the Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas’ 72nd Annual Community Ball and Cotillion. The theme was “Old Hollywood.” The December 3rd event was held at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. On the evening’s agenda […]

The Kansas City Ballet Guild hosted its 55th annual gala, Land of the Sweets Nutcracker Ball 2022, at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center on December 3rd. Barbara and Dr. Greg Storm were the honorary chairmen, and Angela and John Walker served as the chairmen. Barbara Nash was the recipient of the annual Pirouette […]

Mission Hills Country Club was the site for the Symphony League’s  Holiday Luncheon on December 14th. President Katherine Schorgl recognized Johyne Hamra for her 25 years of membership. Ursula Terrasi, Symphony Ball co-chair, presented a check to Pat McCown, Kansas City Symphony board president. The concluding activity was the passing of the gavel to Linda […]

Leading with Love, a benefit for Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy, will be held at Loews Kansas City Hotel on June 15th. Christine Kemper, founder and board chair, will lead this inaugural event, with Debby Ballard, Mara Cohara, Tammy Edwards, Jeanette Prenger, and Laura Welch as co-chairs. Ann and Andrew Tisch will be the special […]

Dr. Kathy and Doug Gaumer and Molly and Reggie Britt were the honorary co-chairs, and Moira Holland and Jill Grace were the co-chairs for Newhouse’s Imagine a Day Gala. More than 1,100 Newhouse supporters gathered for the November 12th event, which was held at Loews Kansas City Hotel. Newhouse, Kansas City’s oldest domestic violence shelter, […]

Mr. and Mrs. Michael John Royle of Parkville, Missouri, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Adele McConnell Royle, to Blake Clemens McCartney, the son of Mr. and Mrs. David James McCartney of Manchester, Missouri. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mrs. Gerald Warner Gorman of Kansas City, Missouri, and the late Mr. […]

HALO, which provides housing, healing, and education services to thousands of HALO youth, will hold “Defying the Odds”: A HALO Art Auction Benefiting Homeless Youth on February 24th at Hotel Kansas City. The event will feature live and silent auctions, as well as musical performances and special guests. Auction items will include artwork by HALO […]

Two of the most significant events in Carolyn Oechsli Doughty’s life occurred during a very short span of time in 1918. That August, she was widowed after nearly 14 years of marriage. Within weeks, she had accepted the position of executive secretary of the Women’s City Club.  Carolyn was exactly the right person for the […]