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born near Odessa, Missouri, on November 30, 1884. During a time when women faced limited opportunities, Conckefair accepted an offer from the University of Missouri and found her niche: teaching non-traditional students. She would continue to educate non-traditional students throughout her career, which spanned multiple universities and took her to many different cities throughout Missouri. Conckefair led the development of organizations for university women. and was honored through the creation of the Cockefair Chair, a fund established by her past students, that supports numerous events and programs.

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Carolyn Benton Cockefair was one of the most influential educators at the University of Kansas City. Known for her unorthodox methods, strong relationships throughout the community, and students who consistently credited her for their success, Cockefair was honored with the naming of the campus building that is now home to the English and History departments.

Cockefair Hall, Carolyn Benton Cockefair

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This trail was created in 2021 by students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City with the goal of connecting residents and visitors to the history and accomplishments of a some of Kansas City's most influential women. The trail includes many of the inductees to the Starr Women's Hall of Fame, as well as landmarks throughout the city that recognize the contributions of women. The trail was created thanks to the archival resources of the Kansas City Research Center, Missouri Valley Special Collections of the Kansas City Public Library, and LaBudde Special Collections at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This trail is a living project, and students and faculty at UMKC will continue to add to the project in the years ahead in addition to creating trails for other parts of the Kansas City metro area. Suggestions for Kansas City landmarks that could be added to the trail can be sent to Dr. David Trowbridge in the Department of History. 

Dr. Katharine Berry Richardson was born in the late 1850s, to Stephen and Harriet Berry, who resided in Kentucky at the time. Her parents’ stance on the immorality of slavery, as well as their views on the importance of supporting one’s community, contributed to Dr. Richardson’s life of service. The youngest of three daughters, Katharine attributed much of her success to the support she received from her eldest sister, Dr. Alice Berry Graham. When Harriet Berry passed away in 1863, the family moved to Pennsylvania, where Katharine’s father remarried. Both Stephen and his new wife encouraged all of their children to pursue an education in order to better serve their communities. With this encouragement, Alice and Katharine entered into an agreement: one would work while the other would study until they both received their degrees.  Katharine was the first of the two to attend college, enrolling at Mount Union College in Ohio in 1876. She would remain at Mount Union for her Bachelor of Philosophy, which she received in 1882. She was an active student at Mount Union College, serving in leadership positions and delivering the valedictory speech at her graduation. In 1884, Katharine enrolled at the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, focusing on pregnancy and childbirth, especially highlighting complications that could occur. After graduation, she began working in a maternal clinic before moving to La Crosse, Wisconsin, to start her medical practice. She would use this opportunity to provide support to her sister, Alice, while she attended dental school. While working in Wisconsin, Dr. Richardson met her husband, James Ira Richardson, whom she married in August of 1893. James was supportive of his wife’s ambitions in the medical field, and would contribute his time and monetary support until his death in 1908. The sisters, as well as James Richardson, moved to Kansas City in the latter half of 1893. Dr. Richardson attributed the creation of Children’s Mercy Hospital with her sister, Dr. Alice Berry Graham. While the details of the story are not always clear, Dr. Graham brought an ill child home for both her and Katharine to care for. This act of charity led Dr. Graham to a realization: her and her sister should work to serve the children who were suffering in the Kansas City area. This led the Berry sisters to lifelong commitments to the Kansas City metro and its children, which ended with the creation of Children’s Mercy Hospital. It began as the Free Bed Fund, which was officially incorporated in 1901. The goal was to provide care for children who could not pay for their medical treatment. While the Fund developed in the early 1900s, Dr. Richardson continued to run a medical practice from her home to provide for her and Dr. Graham. In 1901, the sisters opened a Nursing School, with Dr. Richardson finding nurses to be vital to the operation of medical practices, which at the time was not a widely held view by medical professionals.  The early years of the hospital were dedicated to gaining community support and easing into expansion, but donations and community support would remain a large part of the hospital throughout its existence. The sisters were heavily involved in promoting the Fund as well as the potential for creating a physical children’s hospital, and both served as community contacts to gain donations and support. Dr. Richardson was especially out-spoken amongst the community, quoted as saying:<blockquote>“We run this hospital for the sick children of this community. And the community ought to help pay.”4</blockquote>Katharine used her skills to persuade wealthy and prominent men within Kansas City to donate money to the hospital. With both Berry sisters working diligently to gain funds, the hospital moved into its first physical building as “Mercy Hospital” in 1903. This was only the beginning of the growth the hospital would experience, and both Katharine and Alice would be main proponents in its development until the end of their lives. Unfortunately, Dr. Alice Berry Graham’s health began to decline early in the 1900s, steadily decreasing until her untimely death in 1913. Dr. Richardson, though devastated by the loss, continued to work for the betterment of the hospital. As was discussed before the death of her sister, Dr. Richardson understood that the hospital would require a larger building to accommodate all of the children who needed help throughout the city. While bringing in funds was highly important, Dr. Richardson maintained her own conditions for accepting donations. This included that no donation would be accepted if they had conditions attached to them, instead, they would be funds given with no expectations or strings attached. This did not hinder her ability to receive funding, as many community members were interested in supporting children so they would become beneficial members of society. After years of work, a new hospital building was opened in 1917 on Independence Avenue, just in time for widespread epidemics within the country following World War I.  Dr. Richardson emphasized that the hospital would always remain open for children of all races, religions, and backgrounds, which had been a main point of her and Dr. Graham’s vision from the hospital’s inception. In order to accomplish this during times of segregation in the United States, Dr. Richardson worked directly with African American physicians, especially with Dr. John Edward Perry, to care for African American children in need. In attempts to better the medical field, Dr. Richardson worked alongside Dr. Perry and other physicians to usher in the Model Ward at Wheatley-Provident to provide medical education to African American students. This was an innovative model for the medical community which benefitted the community. Overtime, this allowed Children’s Mercy Hospital to become truly open for all children in need. Refusing to retire, Dr. Richardson continued to work towards improvements for the Children’s Mercy Hospital and medical community in Kansas City until her death on June 3, 1933. Her numerous accomplishments could not be contained in mere paragraphs. Her continuation of her and Dr. Graham’s dream throughout her life demonstrated her determination and selflessness for her community.

The Children's Mercy Research Hospital in Kansas City, which has expanded to multiple locations around the metro area, began as a dream among two sisters: Dr. Alice Berry Graham and Dr. Katharine Berry Richardson. While Katharine, the younger of the two, heralded her sister as the true founder of the hospital, she would continue to operate and support the hospital after Alice's untimely death in 1913. For years, Dr. Richardson contributed to the expansion of the hospital, and contributed her efforts to gaining donations and better preparing medical professionals within the hospital's walls. Overall, her passion contributed to the success of the dream that her and Dr. Graham shared, and her determination is apparent in accounts of her work. The Berry sisters, though long passed, are still ever-present in the mission of Children's Mercy.

Founders of Children's Mercy Hospital Historical Marker

Dr. Alice Berry Graham was born on March 3, 1850, to Stephen and Harriet Berry. Although an advocate against slavery, Stephen moved his family to Kentucky prior to the beginning of the Civil War, where he and his wife refused to condone the actions of the Confederacy. Such beliefs in morality and equal opportunities for all were inherited by both Dr. Graham and Dr. Katharine Berry Richardson, her younger sister. Dr. Graham was only 13 years old when her mother passed away, leaving her as a role model for her two younger sisters. After the death of Harriet Barry in 1863, the family moved to Pennsylvania, Stephen's home state, where he remarried. As his daughters grew older, Stephen encouraged them to pursue an education in order to help others and boost their communities. Dr. Graham thus entered into an agreement with her sister, Katharine, so they could both pursue an education: one would work while the other would study until they both received their degrees. Alice entered the workforce first so that Katharine could pursue her education, thus showing her selfless nature. In order to put food on the table and pay the bills, Dr. Graham served as a teacher. After her sister received her degree, Alice began a dental program in Philadelphia. Although struggling financially herself, many community members reported that Dr. Graham would give anything she had left to children in need. In 1890, she was the only woman in a class of over 50 men to graduate from the Philadelphia Dental College and Hospital of Oral Surgery. After graduation, Alice joined her sister in Wisconsin, where she operated a dental practice by 1893.  Wisconsin life was not long-lived for the sisters, however, as they decided to move to Kansas City in the latter half of 1893. While the reason for their move is unclear, some speculate that it could be due to the poor conditions that the city provided for children. Both sisters began operating their practices out of their home in Kansas City, with Dr. Graham focusing on dental practice and Dr. Richardson focusing on medical house calls. Although they had already broken barriers for women in education and medical practice, they struggled to gain solid footing within the medical community in the city, which was filled with male professionals who would not refer patients to female physicians. This did not deter the Berry sisters from helping those in need, however, as they provided care without always charging for their services. With their past budgeting experience while attending school, the Berry sisters were able to keep their respective practices afloat.  Dr. Alice Graham, while already providing necessary services to the community around her, would develop a vision in the late 1890s for a larger mission. While details of the story vary, it is said that in 1897, Dr. Graham came across a young child who was suffering from illness and took her into her and her sister’s care. While caring for this child, Dr. Graham suggested to her sister that caring for children in need could be their contribution to the community. Thus, the Children’s Mercy Hospital was born. It began as the Free Bed Fund, housing only one bed, and the sisters worked tirelessly to gain support from the community. It was their plan to only serve children who could not pay for the services they received. By 1901, the Free Bed Fund was incorporated as an official association, and the sisters opened a nursing school. While Dr. Graham was the mastermind behind the hospital’s founding, as noted by Dr. Katharine Richardson herself, she also used her abilities to organize support from the community, as well as execute fundraisers to keep the hospital afloat. This was highly beneficial for the purchase of the hospital’s first building, which began use in 1903, and was the first time that “Mercy Hospital” had a space all its own.  Dr. Graham started the Messenger newsletter, which was sent out to prominent members of Kansas City as well as newspapers, to gain the monetary support necessary for the hospital’s success. While Dr. Graham diligently worked for the betterment of the hospital, she was diagnosed with cancer in 1904. Rather than remove herself from the operation and rest, she continued to work as a fundraiser and community contact. Unfortunately, Dr. Graham’s health began to decline even more by 1911, causing her to give many of her managerial and leadership roles to other dedicated members of the hospital. While she reduced her leadership roles due to her illness, she continued to write the Messenger, answer questions and give suggestions, and contact community members for potential donations. On May 3, 1913, Dr. Alice Berry Graham passed away after dedicating her life to the service of others. Her efforts, up until her death, paved the way for Children’s Mercy Hospital to serve as a place of healing and comfort for children in need. Her sister, Dr. Katharine Richardson, continued to work tirelessly after the death of Dr. Graham, further propelling their shared dream forward. Upon her insistence, this hospital building, which served the community from 1917 to 1970, included a cornerstone with the following inscription: "In 1897 Dr. Alice Berry Graham founded this hospital for sick and crippled children – to be forever non-sectarian, non-local, and for those who cannot pay."

Dr. Alice Berry Graham, together with her sister Dr. Katherine Berry Richardson, devoted their lives to providing access to medical care for children of all backgrounds in Kansas City and founded the institution that grew into Children's Mercy Hospital. Dr. Alice Berry Graham was the eldest of the two founders, and in recognition of her expertise and effort that led to the development, growth, and success of Children's Mercy until her death at the age of 63 in 1913, her sister insisted that this building, which was home to the hospital from 1917 to 1970, include this cornerstone which recognized the work of her later sister. With a background in multiple areas of the country, and with her sister by her side, Dr. Graham brought a necessary practice to Kansas City in a time where medical care for children had not been a top priority. The care she bestowed upon others, as well as her diligent spirit, lives on in the Children's Mercy Hospital to this day.

Dr. Alice Berry Graham Cornerstone, Mercy Hospital (1917-1970)

In 1893, landscape architect George Kessler introduced the City Beautiful Movement as part of the newly established parks and boulevard system. In his plan, Kessler stated, "The city should have some place where everybody can see beautiful flowers, and flowers more or less rare, in abundance and under conditions of artistic grouping or display. The 'Paseo' offers this opportunity." Named after a major thoroughfare in Mexico City called the "Paseo de la Reforma,” The Paseo was designed after Drexel Boulevard in Chicago, Illinois, and was built to connect Independence to Kansas City. In 1899, the beautifully landscaped boulevard became an attraction and source of local pride.In 1899, the Ninth Street Fountain (now Women’s Leadership Fountain) was the second fountain built in Kansas City; the first was at 15th and The Paseo but no longer exists. The oval-shaped fountain is made of limestone and originally contained a multi-tiered vertical spray nozzle. The flowing water drained directly to the sewer, but in 1970 after nearly two decades of disuse, the basin was improved and an underground electrical system and circulation pump were added. A partial restoration was implemented in 1989 with funds raised from Central Exchange, an organization that promotes women's equity. At this time, the fountain was renamed The Women’s Leadership Fountain. The full restoration was completed in 2003 by STRATA Architecture with funds from the sale of city property. Thirteen women who overcame adversity and made notable contributions to the city are memorialized in the fountain:<blockquote>Myrtle Page Fillmore (1845-1931) - School teacher, author, and founder of Unity School of Christianity </blockquote><blockquote>Phoebe Jane Ess (1850-1934) - Advocate of social reform and women’s suffrage, the “Dean” of Missouri club women</blockquote><blockquote>Alice Berry Graham (1850-1913) - Dentist, co-founder of Children’s Mercy Hospital</blockquote><blockquote>Mary Harmon Weeks (1851-1940) - Advocate for education, founder of the first Parent Teacher Association in Missouri, and the first president of the Athenaeum, the oldest active Kansas City women's club</blockquote><blockquote>Bertha Manheimer Leiberman (1854-1929) - first president and honorary life president of the Greater Kansas City Section of the National Council of Jewish Women</blockquote><blockquote>Katherine Berry Richardson (1860-1933) - Doctor, co-founder of Children’s Mercy Hospital</blockquote><blockquote>Nelle Elizabeth Peters (1884-1974) - Prolific architect</blockquote><blockquote>Caroline Benton Cockefair (1884-1964) - Distinguished English professor from University of Missouri</blockquote><blockquote>Ada Crogman Franklin (1886-1983) - Publisher of The Kansas City Call newspaper </blockquote><blockquote>Guadalupe Bribiesca de Garcia (1893-1977) - Organizer of the Guadalupe Center and community events</blockquote><blockquote>Madalyne Pinkston Brock (1894-1990) - Activist and businesswoman, established the Madalyn Brock Foundation</blockquote><blockquote>Ellen (Nell) Donnelly Reed (1899-2004) - Entepenuer, founder of Donnelly Garment Company</blockquote><blockquote>Esther Swirk Brown (1917-1970) - promoted social justice and equality in education</blockquote>

Originally named the Ninth Street Fountain, the Women’s Leadership Fountain was the second public fountain built in Kansas City. Designed by George Kessler and John Van Brunt, the limestone fountain was completed in 1899 as part of the City Beautiful Movement. It is one of 48 city-owned fountains and is currently the oldest working fountain in Kansas City. The fountain also memorializes thirteen women who have made tremendous contributions to the Kansas City community.

Women's Leadership Fountain

Sarah Rector was born March 3, 1902 in Indian Territory in modern-day Oklahoma. [1] Her grandparents had been enslaved by the Creek tribe. After the Civil War, freed slaves were granted citizenship into the tribe that had previously enslaved them. As members of the tribe, these Creek Freedmen and their descendants were allotted land under the Curtis Act of 1898. [1] Sarah Rector received 160 acres of land that was considered poor quality and unsuitable for farming near her home in Taft, Oklahoma. Her father, Joseph Rector, could barely afford to pay the $30 in taxes on the land, and at one point, had tried to sell it. [2,3]However, the Rector family’s fortunes changed in February 1911, when an oil gusher was discovered on the land, instantly making 10-year-old Rector “the richest colored girl in the world,” as described by contemporary newspapers. [2] The first oil well on Rector’s property brought in 2,500 barrels of oil every day. Her 12.5% in royalties came to $300 per day (almost $8000 per day, adjusted for inflation in 2019). By comparison, the national average household income at the time was under $60 a month. [1]In 1914, the influential African-American newspaper, Chicago Defender, published a story about Rector, alleging that her assets were being mismanaged. Numerous white businessmen had tried to petition for guardianship of her estate by declaring her or her parents mentally unfit. The NAACP and one of its founders, W.E.B Dubois, got involved, initiating investigations into the details of the alleged mismanagement and advocating on Rector’s behalf. It was discovered that other Black children had been taken advantage of and even murdered for their fortunes. Rector became a poster child for the vulnerability of Black children, and as a result, the NAACP created a children’s department to address similar cases. To ensure that she would be safe from swindlers and receive a good education, Rector moved to Alabama to attend the Children’s School at Tuskegee Institute, at the invitation of its founder, Booker T. Washington. [1,2,3]When Rector turned 18 in 1920, she was worth about $1 million ($11 million in 2019). [1] She moved with her family to Kansas City, settling in a $20,000 mansion at the corner of 12th and Euclid Streets. [3] Even after she came of age to manage her own estate, Rector continued to battle against grafters; in 1921 and 1922, she was faced with court cases brought against her by men who petitioned to be guardian over her estate, claiming that she was squandering her fortune and could not be trusted to manage it. She won both cases. [2]Rector had received multiple international offers of marriages since she was a young girl. In 1922, she married Kenneth Campbell, a local car dealer, and the couple would have three sons together. Rector was known locally for her penchant for fast cars, expensive clothes, and diamond jewelry. She had a chauffer and owned a Cadillac, a silver-plated Lincoln, and a Rolls Royce. She threw lavish parties at her mansion on 12th Street, where she entertained the likes of jazz legends Duke Ellington and Count Basie and sports stars like Joe Louis and Jack Johnson. Despite all of this, she maintained a relatively low profile and was quite private. [1,2,3]Rector lost a large portion of her fortune when the stock market crashed in 1929, and the country plunged into the Great Depression. Rector and Campbell divorced in 1930. She was forced to sell the mansion, and moved into a smaller, though still substantial home at 2440 Brooklyn Avenue. She remarried in 1934 to William Crawford, who owned several restaurants in the area. She lived in Kansas City the rest of her life and died in 1967. [1]After she sold it, Rector’s mansion became Adtkins Funeral Home and then C.K. Kerford Funeral Home. It was later used as offices for the 12th Street Heritage Development Corporation, but has been vacant for about a decade. The home has been vandalized numerous times; thieves have stolen the copper piping and destroyed the leaded glass window in the front door. Murals were added to the exterior in 2019 to beautify the property. Local community nonprofit, United Inner City Services, has applied for grants to restore and preserve the mansion as a historic site. [4]

Sarah Rector was born into poverty in 1902, the grandchild of slaves. In 1911, oil was struck on land she owned, making her a millionaire at only 10 years old. Her fame spread internationally, and she was touted as the “Richest Black Girl in America” by newspapers. She purchased a mansion in 1921 at the corner of 12th and Euclid Streets, which still stands today. She was a lifelong resident of Kansas City, and plans are underway to restore the mansion to its former glory.  

Sarah Rector's Mansion

Kay Barnes, also referenced as Kay Cronkite Waldo or Kay Waldo Barnes, was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, to Fritz Cronkite, a high school football and basketball, and her mother, a school teacher. Both her parents encouraged Kay to help others and make an impact on the community throughout her life. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from the University of Kansas, starting her career as an educator after graduation. Later, she would re-enter Academia, receiving a Master's degree in secondary education in 1971, followed by a Master of Public Administration degree in 1978, both from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She would put her education to great use as a public servant for most of her career.Kay attributes both her time spent with her cousin Walter Cronkite, the former CBS news anchor, and a summer spent in Washington, D.C. with her father to her interest in politics later in life. When she visited Washington, D.C., her father was the Chief of Staff to the Missouri Congressman, allowing her time in both the House and Senate galleries to see the nation's political process firsthand. Her visit aligned with the Civil Rights debates and the senator Joseph McCarthy hearings, thus opening her eyes to the many difficult issues that permeate the political and governmental theatre in the United States.Prior to her mayoral terms, Kay participated in many political opportunities. She worked for Cross-Line Cooperative Council, positioned in the urban core, in the 1960s, and also founded her own business, Kay Waldo, Inc., dedicated to the development of human resources. In 1974, Kay became one of the first two women elected to the Jackson County legislature. Additionally, in 1979, Kay was elected to the Kansas City, Missouri City Council for the 4th District seat, holding the position for one full council term. From 1996 until 1998, she served as the chair of the Tax Increment Finance Commission, giving her extensive training in economic development and other economic issues that would be prevalent during her later terms as mayor. When Kay was elected the first woman mayor of Kansas City, Missouri in 1999, the urban core of the city was, as many described, simply surviving, not thriving. Kay made it her mission to improve the city throughout her terms, revitalizing downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and creating a blueprint for expansion and improvements throughout the first decades of the 21st century.At the time that Mayor Barnes was in office, the mayor of Kansas City, Kansas was Carol Marinovich, the first female mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, and mayor/CEO of the unified Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS governments. Their mayor ships demonstrated a growing acceptance of women in higher political roles at the time, that would continue to grow throughout the coming decades. Mayor Barnes understood the growing need to revitalize Kansas City's downtown area, leading to multi-billion dollar investments, both public and private, to improve the urban core of the city. As a member of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission, Kay found that the construction of an arena in the downtown area would be economically beneficial to the city. Thus, she spearheaded a campaign for the development of the Sprint Center, which opened in October of 2007 and still serves the city today.She additionally led the efforts to move the H&amp;R Block World Headquarters to downtown Kansas City, where it is still located between 13th Street and Main Street. This development pushed further revitalization efforts along, and also brought many jobs and new residents to the area. She also led the charge for converting buildings in the downtown area into apartments and lofts, leading to a flood of over 7,000 residents entering the downtown area. Her leadership also led to the opening of the Power and Light District, which not only attracts Kansas Citians for entertainment, but also serves a tourist attraction within the city. Her accomplishments as mayor led to growth within the downtown area of Kansas City that extended well beyond her terms as mayor. By 2017, there were 26,000 residents in the downtown area, as compared to its 2,000 residents in 2002. Her blueprint for urban developments, infrastructure change, and economic improvements have continued to be recognized today.Her accomplishments extend past her political career, including the co-founding of the Women's Central Exchange in Kansas City, a personal and professional development organization for women in the Greater Kansas City area. She also founded the Center for Leadership at Park University in 2007, where she also served as a distinguished professor for public leadership. She would later serve as Senior Director for University Engagement at Park University. She also helped establish the Women's Resource Service, or the Women's Center, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She has since received countless distinguished awards, including the Central Exchange Visionary of the Year award in 2007, the 2018 UMKC Alumna of the Year award, and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce 2018 Kansas Citian of the Year award. She was inducted into the Starr Women's Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2015.Mayor Kay Barnes set the stage for improvements within the urban core of Kansas City, Missouri, that lasted long after her two terms as mayor. As the first woman mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, she represented the ever-evolving political landscape within the United States, serving as an example of the expansion of women's roles in government.

Kay Barnes was elected Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, in March 1999, becoming the first female mayor of the city. She served two consecutive terms as mayor, from 1999 until 2007. Throughout her mayoralty, she spearheaded the efforts to bring the H&amp;R Block's World Headquarters to downtown Kansas City, Missouri, on 13th Street and Main Street. Her efforts throughout her mayor ship brought about infrastructure improvements and propelled maintenance work in the city forward, bringing new life to the downtown area and the city as a whole. She, along with the City Council of the time, gained citizens' votes to improve fire stations, ambulance services, and the police force throughout the city, additionally helping with safety and response times within the city. She received the Central Exchange Visionary of the Year award in 2007 and the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Kansas Citian of the Year award in 2018 for both her accomplishments as the first female mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, and her following accomplishments outside of office.

Kay Barnes, H&R Block World Headquarters

Sarah Chandler Coates was born on March 10, 1829, in Pennsylvania. The second-born in her family, she would become the only daughter among four sons. The mutual love and care between all members of the family served as an excellent support system for Sarah, and also encouraged her outspoken ways. Born to a religious mother, Sarah developed a charitable nature that would follow her throughout her life. She joined the Progressive Friends’ Society of Longwood as a young adult to properly pursue progressive ideals for the times while maintaining her Quaker faith. She attended the Young Ladies’ Lyceum of Kennett Square, and gave an address to her fellow classmates prior to her exit. Sarah’s address would, coincidentally, catch the attention of a Colonel Kersey Coates, who she would later marry in 1855. Sarah and Kersey would share a marriage filled with adventurous encounters and amazing feats. Shortly after their marriage, Kersey would move West for the Kansas Territory. He would be serving on behalf of the Philadelphia Emigrants’ Aid Society, which had a goal of establishing anti-slavery settlers in the Kansas territory so that it would not become a slave-state. Although Sarah was close with her family and had a supportive network in Pennsylvania, she joined her husband in 1856, also boasting an anti-slavery mindset. However, such ideology led to difficult times for Sarah and Kersey at first, as they were surrounded by Confederate supporters who could become quite hostile towards those who did not support slavery. Sarah herself had her doubts on her Westward move, best demonstrated when she said:<blockquote>"How my heart sank when the thought passed through my mind, ‘And is this to be my home!’"4</blockquote>While it may not have offered Sarah the best circumstances, she would make due, and the husband and wife would persist in their new home, contributing to the growth of Kansas City.During the Civil War, the Coates’ family was thrust into the middle of dangerous territory. Sarah served as a type of nurse for injured soldiers, assisting at makeshift hospitals that sprang up around the area, including within pre-existing businesses. On top of this, Sarah and Kersey offered their home to injured Union soldiers and supporters, as well as used their cellar as an arsenal. When the War was over, Kersey Coates worked on development within the area, establishing a hotel and other ventures that would contribute to the creation of Kansas City. Sarah would also contribute to the community through the development of associations and activist work.  Sarah’s charitable nature, and progressive tendencies, were visible through her constant work within the public. Such pursuits included that of women’s education, the suffragist movement, anti-slavery, and other pursuits to support all fellow humans. One such association was the Woman’s Suffrage Club, for whom she organized meetings at the New Coates Hotel. Her participation in activism did not end with one club, however. In fact, she created multiple women’s associations, including the Women’s Christian Association, the Equal Suffrage Association of Kansas City, and the Kansas City Woman’s Exchange. Her passion for women’s suffrage also led her to become an acquaintance of Susan B. Anthony, whom Sarah found to be honorable and inspirational until her dying day.  Sarah was a dutiful and doting mother, and later grandmother, and held her place within her family in high regards. She kept track of the kind words or actions that others showed her, and made time to write all of her loved ones. Many such writings, especially her poems, are saved within the memorial her children composed for her after her death. Sarah Chandler Coates passed away on July 25, 1897, and her funeral was said to have been attended by enough people to fill not only the Coates’ family home, but their yard as well. Such was the impact that Sarah had on those around her within the community. While Colonel Kersey Coates is often remembered for his contributions to Kansas City’s development, Sarah Chandler Coates must be remembered for her persistence during hardship, charitable acts to those around her, her support of the community, and her passion of equal treatment between men and women. Sarah’s dutiful and charitable nature are long preserved in her own diaries as well as the memorials left behind. As Sarah herself said: <blockquote>"I wish it might be said of me that I have helped even one soul to a higher sense of duty and faith in God and man."5</blockquote>

While Sarah Chandler Coates was born and raised in Pennsylvania, her impact was especially felt throughout Kansas City. While the city was not yet the metropolitan district it would one day become when Sarah moved to the area in 1856, her and her husband, Colonel Kersey Coates, would contribute to Kansas City's development. Sarah's passion for the women's suffrage movement encouraged her to create multiple women's associations within the area, which allowed for the expansion of certain progressive ideals in the city. Her life of service impacted many, and she was sorely missed when she passed away at the end of the 19th century. Her children would commemorate her life in an 1898 memoriam that demonstrates the many lives she touched throughout her days.

Sarah Chandler Coates

After years of careful planning and development, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts opened in September of 2011. The initial idea for this center began with Muriel Kauffman in 1994. After Muriel Kaufman passed away the following year, her daughter, Julia Irene Kauffman, decided to see her late mother's project through completion. The latter years of the 1990s were filled with initial planning and feasibility studies to ensure that the Performing Arts Center could be completed. In 2000, architect Moshe Safdie was selected for the design of the Center. Additionally, Richard Pilbrow was selected as a partner to design the theater within the Center while Yasu Toyota was selected as a partner to focus on acoustics within the Center. By 2002, Safdie presented his finalized plan for the Center to leaders within Kansas City. In 2006, 13-acres of land in the downtown area was secured for the project. Leaders hoped the positioning of the Center would help renew the area and spark a cultural landscape around the Center in the years after its opening. Construction began on October 6, 2006, and the grand opening was in September of 2011. The Center continues to serve as a cultural beacon in Kansas City, with diverse audiences from all over the country attending performances by many different performing arts groups, including the Kansas City Ballet, the Kansas City Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.Muriel McBrien Kauffman, the visionary behind the Kauffman Center, was a civic leader and philanthropist in Kansas City. Muriel Kaufman married pharmaceutical entrepreneur Ewing Kauffman in 1962. The couple worked together on numerous philanthropic ventures during their lives and are memorialized by several other Kansas City institutions that bear their name along with a statue outside the Kaufman Foundation headquarters. The couple worked together on numerous projects, including the work to bring Kansas City a Major League Franchise in 1969, and there is also a statue of the couple together in the outfield of Kaufman Stadium.In addition to her work with her husband, Muriel Kaufman led numerous community projects on her own, including efforts to support preservation and accessibility to the arts. Her passion for the arts led to the construction of this facility and the creation of the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation in 1987.The Foundation has a mission to:<blockquote>Support organizations and programs that enhance the quality and accessibility of the arts in the greater Kansas City community.3</blockquote>The Muriel McBrien Kaufmann Foundation provides funding to many organizations dedicated to the arts in the Kansas City metro, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Kansas City Arts Institute, and the UMKC Conservatory of Music, among others. The Foundation also provided $80 million for the development of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, and continues to provide funding to the Center to continue to promote affordable access to the arts and art education. While Muriel Kaufman passed away in March of 1995, her daughter, Julia Irene Kauffman, oversaw the effort to build this structure and still serves as the Chairman and CEO of the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation which works to preserve her mother's legacy while continuing to provide the community with access to both performing and visual arts.

The performance home of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Kansas City Ballet, this 1800-seat theater was designed to mirror the audience experience of the world's finest opera houses and hosts numerous touring performances each year. Kansas City philanthropist Muriel McBrien Kauffman began the effort that would culminate in the 2011 dedication of this performing arts center in 1994. Today, the Kaufman Center serves as the home of the Kansas City Ballet and the Kansas City Symphony while also hosting special events throughout the year. The Kauffman Center is also home to Helzberg Hall, which is home to the Kansas City Symphony. In addition to this performing arts center, Muriel Kauffman is remembered for her many years of service to the community through many philanthropic endeavors, and her legacy continues today through the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation which supports the arts in the Kansas City area.

Muriel Kauffman Theatre; Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Ellen Quinlan, later known as Nell Donnelly Reed, was born on March 6, 1889, in Parsons, Kansas. One of thirteen children in a family headed by an Irish immigrant who worked on the railroad, young Ellen learned quickly that her skill with a needle and thread could help her family. Ellen Quinlan moved to Kansas City in the early 1900s with her first husband, Paul Donnelly. Disappointed with the options that were available for women in the garment industry, Nell Donnelly decided to create her own business.In 1916, The Donnelly Garment Company was born and soon earned a reputation for providing women with affordable clothing options that were ready-made and flattering. Her business grew quickly owing to her business acumen, and by the early 1930s, the Donnelly Garment Company had more than 1,000 employees and brought in millions of dollars in sales.Donnelly divorced her first husband and married, James A. Reed, a former U.S. senator and a former mayor of Kansas City. The marriage was a high-profile event, made even more so after their adopted son was the victim of a high-profile kidnapping just as her business was growing, In later years, a family member revealed that Donnelly and Reed's son was their own as the boy was born out of wedlock Nell Donnelly was still married to her first husband, Paul Donnelly. Had this information been publicly known, along with the couple's decision to hide Donnelly's pregnancy and arrange to later adopt their own son would have been one of the largest scandals in Kansas City's history. Instead, Reed likely used his connections to the Pendergast Machine to call upon Johnny Lazia, also a member of organized crime, to assist with the search for their child. Within two days of her kidnapping, the child was located and brought safely home. The story was headline news in Kansas City for days, bringing more attention to the already prominent garment company owner. A year later, she and Paul Donnelly divorced, most likely due to an affair between Nell and James A. Reed, which had been ongoing prior to the kidnapping. To assure her control of the company she created, Nell purchased her former husband's share of the garment company after the divorce.In 1933, Nell and James A. Reed were married. The marriage boosted Nell's community prominence and provided her more connections. Although she implemented innovative assembly-line practices in her garment company, she also earned a reputation for using this innovation to speed up the pace of work and was also known for low pay and poor working conditions.At a time when garment workers were unionizing, Nell Donnely was one of the strongest opponents of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU). From the perspective of union leaders, Donnelly used strongarm tactics to prevent any of her workers from joining a union. While her opposition to organized labor led to criticism, she was a wealthy woman when she announced her retirement in 1956. She sold the Donnelly Garment Company which was renamed Nelly Don, Inc. Nell's exit from the industry was well-timed as the garment industry in Kansas City dwindled in the next two decades, reflecting national and global changes to the industry. Nelly Don, Inc. filed for bankruptcy in 1978. Although the company no longer exists, the building where Nell Donnelly's company was located still stands at 1828 Walnut Street in Kansas City, Missouri.After her retirement, Nell and her husband contributed to the Kansas City community. The James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area was developed on hundreds of acres of land that Nell donated to the Missouri Department of Conservation. She also served on multiple boards, including for the Kansas City Art Institute and the Starlight Theatre. On September 8, 1991, at the age of 102, Nell passed away. Although her personal and professional life had their share of controversy, Nell Donnelly Reed was unquestionably one of the most influential Kansas Citians of the 20th century and an astute businesswoman and innovator in the garment industry.

In the heart of Kansas City during the early 20th century, a remarkable woman emerged as a trailblazer in both the fashion industry and community development. Nell Donnelly Reed, a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist, left an indelible mark on her community through her innovative contributions to fashion and her commitment to uplifting those around her. Born in Parsons, Kansas, Nell was the daughter of five of thirteen children. Nell was taught to sew by her mother and sister at a very young age since everything she received was hand-me-downs. She moved to Kansas City at sixteen, trying to find her way. While living in a boarding house, Nell met her future husband, Paul Donnelly. Once married, Nell was passionate about wanting more education, so she attended Lindenwood College in Saint Charles, Missouri. After graduation, she returned to Kansas City to live happily with Paul. In the 1920s, women were required to wear "Mother Hubbard" dresses, a shapeless frock that did nothing for a woman's body, but not Nell. She refused to wear something so heinous. She altered the everyday dress in her home into the stylish frock of the 30s. Nell defined the waist, added short sleeves with mobility, and always added a pocket because "You will always need one." Friends of Nell praised her style and encouraged her to try to sell her dresses, but no one would buy them. This building on Kansas City's Walnut Street was the headquarters of Nell Donnelly Reed's garment empire which became the largest manufacturer of women's dresses in the United States. Nell Donnelly Reed was more than just a woman. Business Mongural, Loyal employer, and innovative fashion designer are just a few words to describe Reed's fascinating life. Nell Donnelly Reed forever changed the fashion game for women's dresses. Nell was a driven, ingenious woman who believed women could work hard AND look good. She reimagined how housewives dressed and turned her designs into a multimillion-dollar company. A former worker in the garment industry, Reed built and grew her business from the early to mid-1900s by offering a variety of styles of women's clothing that were unique and form-flattering. Nell Donnelly expanded her company through a mixture of shrewd business practices and innovative designs. Known today for her opposition to organized labor, she also created fashionable designs for women of all sizes at lower prices than her competitors as her company pioneered new techniques in assembly-line production. While Nell Donnelly Reed was a successful entrepreneur who exhibited creativity and business savvy, she was also criticized by some who hoped a woman-led company would create more opportunities for unionization of the garment industry. At the same time, the Donnelly Garment Company offered numerous unique benefits for workers, such as tuition support and family scholarships. Her company survived The Great Depression due to her competency in business practices. Nell was as loyal to her employees as they were to her. Nell provided numerous job benefits, including a pension plan unheard of for women then. A cafeteria and an on-site medical clinic are a few of the facilities she would provide. Nell would also pay for hospital visits and night classes for women wanting to continue their schooling. By the time World War 2 was finishing up in 1945, Nell had over 250,000 dollars in sales and supplied employment to 18 women. At this point, she had moved to her building at 1828 Walnut Street, and Nelly Don Incorporated was thriving. Nell was a fantastic employer. Her company dominated women's fashion in the 1920s-1960s. She patented the "Handy-Dandy Apron," a single-seam apron with big pockets and flattering lines. She was turning any housewife into a stunning woman. Nell chose a single seam so that her team could finish products quickly. She made her designs out of cotton and rayon to be washed and drip dry. She gave the American woman many design options to customize their daily looks After her retirement and subsequent sale of her company, Nell Donnelly Reed supported several community organizations and philanthropy, including the donation of over seven hundred acres to build a wildlife conservation area named in honor of her late second husband, former Senator James Reed. Nell died on September 8, 1991, at the age of 102. Unfortunately, after retiring and selling her stocks in 1956, the new CEO ran her company into the ground. Nell Donnelly Reed's impact on Kansas City was not confined to the business world. Her influence reached into the fabric of the community, weaving a tapestry of progress, empowerment, and compassion. Her legacy endures not only in the iconic dresses bearing her name but also in the lasting contributions she made to the social and economic well-being of Kansas City and beyond. Nell Donnelly Reed is a beacon of inspiration, reminding us that business success can coexist with a profound commitment to community welfare. Nevertheless, Nell Donnelly Reed reimagined the women's fashion game for future generations. She was a well-respected woman, boss, and entrepreneur in Kansas City, always and forever fashionable.

Nell Donnelly Reed, The Donnelly Garment Company

When Irene was transferred to the West Branch Library in the 1980s she immediately began campaigning to provide resource for the Spanish-speaking community. She collected bilingual and Spanish language media in the form of books, magazines, VHS videos, CDs, and later DVDs. She developed strategies to enhance Latino residents’ use of the library by outreach campaigns. She was also, a resource to the residents by assisting in translating documents, helping with job applications, and conducting training seminars to help the Spanish-speaking patrons. In 2000, the West Branch library was re-named the Irene H. Ruíz Biblioteca de las Americas, in her honor.

This branch of the Kansas City Public Library opened in 2001, but its history as a branch library in this part of the city goes back to 1911 when the Switzer Branch Library opened. The branch is named in honor of Irene H. Ruíz, a leader who supported education and community building in Kansas City, Missouri’s Westside Mexican American community. Irene and her husband, Francisco Ruíz came to Lawrence, Kansas in 1963 to attend the University of Kansas. They eventually moved to Kansas City where Francisco took a position at Penn Valley Community College in the history department. Irene worked for Kansas City Missouri Public Schools as a teacher, and she later became a librarian for the Kansas City library branch which at that time was managed by the school district. Irene and Francisco became active in social justice causes in the community. They also hosted local and national lectures by civil rights leaders including César Chávez. Irene was instrumental in collecting oral histories from Mexican immigrant families of the community. The collection of those stories are archived at the Missouri Valley Room of the Kansas City Central Library. The branch library where she worked under the direction of the public school system came under the management of the Kansas City Public Library in 1986 and moved to this location in 2001.

Kansas City Public Library: Irene H. Ruiz Biblioteca de las Americas

Dorothy Gallagher was born into a wealthy Kansas City family on January 8, 1894. From a young age, Dorothy decided she wanted to help others, and she became a teacher at the Notre Dame de Sion School. However, she felt that she could do more for the Kansas City community, leading her to enter into social work. Her move to social work led her to the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, a Catholic women's organization mostly for affluent, white women. The Agnes Ward Amberg Club had founded the Guadalupe Center in 1919, focusing on providing services for the Mexican American community in Kansas City. The original Guadalupe Center was located at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at 1015 W. 23rd Street. However, while it did provide services to the Mexican community, it also sought to Americanize Mexican immigrants rather than embrace their unique culture. Overtime, the Guadalupe Center would evolve to better serve the Mexican community in Kansas City, steering away from Americanization and assimilation and towards a more culturally significant community center in later decades.Initial changes began in 1926, when Dorothy Gallagher became the director of the Guadalupe Center. Gallagher visited the homes of the families who came to the Center, and listened to their suggestions for different classes and services offered at the Center, requesting more than just English classes and courses for Americanizing the community. The first new event was the Gran Fiesta, first held in 1926 becoming an annual event to celebrate and preserve Mexican culture among the community. The fiesta occurred on the Feast of Our Lady Guadalupe, and the funds raised went towards the Center's general operations. Other events included musical groups and folk dancing groups, among other culturally significant activities and events. However, by 1935, an expansion was necessary for the Center, but the Agnes Ward Amberg Club did not have the means to fund such an expansion. So, Dorothy Gallagher used her family's wealth to provide land for a new location, while also paying for an architect and the construction of the new Spanish-style building for the center. The new location, still in use today, opened on the west side of Avenida Cesar Chavez Street in 1936.The Center then offered classes, clubs, sports teams, vocational training and professional guidance, as well as their annual fiesta and other events. Gallagher did not receive payment for her role as director at the Guadalupe Center, and was often referred to as the "Godmother of Guadalupe." She remained director of the Center until 1944, when she decided to go to war-torn France to provide social work. When she returned to the United States after the end of the war, she returned to teaching, becoming an educator at the University of Kansas and the College of St. Teresa, now known as Avila College. She also contributed to the founding of the local Catholic Charities and served as chair of the Jackson County Welfare Association from 1953 until 1955. She passed in 1982 after dedicating her life to social work. She is still most well-known for her contributions to the Guadalupe Center in the first half of the 20th century.The Catholic Diocese took over the Guadalupe Center after Gallagher left her position, and the end of World War II paired with the rise of the Civil Rights movement led to changes once again in the latter half of the 20th century. By the 1970s, the diocese and the Mexican American community, and the larger Latinx community, in Kansas City had opposing ideas for the Center as it moved into the future. The Latinx community wanted leadership from its own community members rather than charity from white members of the diocese. Thus, the diocese ceased its leadership of the Center in 1978, and the Latinx community chose Tony Salazar as the new director of the Guadalupe Center. He would go on to appoint Chris Medina as director in 1980, a position Medina would hold for the next four decades.The Guadalupe Center was thus reclaimed by the Latinx community, and worked to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of many Latin nations. The Center is now composed of multiple buildings and hundreds of staff members, providing healthcare services, educational programming, financial services with their on-site credit union, childcare, professional development, and various social and cultural events and clubs for the Latinx community to participate in. The Guadalupe Centers, Inc., serves as an example of an organization that was originally created to Americanize a community of immigrants that was reclaimed by the community and evolved into an organization that celebrates and preserves varying cultural heritages.

In 1919, the Agnes Ward Amberg Club, an organization for affluent, white, Catholic women, founded the Guadalupe Center to help Mexican immigrants in the Kansas City area, especially focusing on women and children. However, while the concept sounds beneficial, the organization focused on the Americanization of Mexican immigrants, and included services that were condescending to the women who immigrated to Kansas City. In other words, cooking and sewing classes were offered, when the Mexican women immigrating to Kansas City were already trained in such matters. In 1926, Dorothy Gallagher, a daughter of a wealthy businessman, became the director of the Center. After visiting the homes of Mexican families, she realized the Mexican American community in Kansas City did not only want English lessons or other classes at the center. Rather, they wanted a community center for their families to gather together and solidify the Mexican American community in the city. Gallagher's family donated land to build a new Center in 1936, and Dorothy served as the director of the Guadalupe Center until 1944, when she left to assist in France during World War II. Over the decades, the Mexican American and Latinx community reclaimed the Guadalupe Center from the city's Catholic diocese, establishing services the Latinx community both needed and wanted for community building and cultural expansion.

Guadalupe Centers, Dorothy Gallagher

On January 13, 1921, Alexis and Nadia Dokoudovska welcomed their daughter, Tatiana Dokoudovska, into the world. Considering her father was the son of a nobleman and her mother’s grandfather was an opera singer, her family background was brimming with nobility and talent. She demonstrated a talent for dance at a young age, and at only 12 years old, she would study dance under the instruction of Olga Preobrajenska, an influential Russian ballerina and dance instructor. Dokoudovska’s talent and dedication led to a successful ballet career spanning many countries, starting with the Ballet Russe de l’Opera Comique when she was only 15. After this opportunity, she would become a soloist for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Later endeavors would bring her to the United States, where she would join the Radio City Music Hall ballet for the duration of World War II. Promptly after the War, she would return to Europe for a season.Tatiana would return the United States and be included in many different pursuits, including ballet performances and teaching ballet at Carnegie Hall and Regent Academy. In 1954, Tatiana would learn of an audition for Song of Norway at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City. After the audition, she received the soloist position for the musical, relocating her to Kansas City for the duration of the show. While performing in Kansas City, Tatiana was approached by Victor Labunski, the head of the University of Kansas Coty’s Conservatory of Music at the time, and offered a position at the Conservatory. The position would allow her to establish a dance program at the Conservatory while continuing to be a ballet instructor. Tatiana gave the offer thought before accepting and permanently relocating herself to Kansas City.Tatiana flourished in Kansas City, seen in her many contributions to the dance community. While serving as the director of the ballet department at the Conservatory, and as a choreographer for the Kansas City Philharmonic for a time, her greatest contribution to the Kansas City dance community was establishing the Kansas City Ballet. In 1957, Tatiana developed the Kansas City Ballet with her top 25 students from the Conservatory. With Tatiana’s constant contributions, including her own monetary donations, the Kansas City Ballet would evolve overtime. Her extensive past within the ballet world would offer her the opportunity to recruit renowned ballet dancers from across the country, establishing an amazing reputation as well as a dedicated community within the city. After successfully establishing a professional ballet in Kansas City, in 1962, Tatiana would introduce a Bachelor of Arts in Dance at the Conservatory, further expanding opportunities for the dance community in the metro. Her accomplishments in dance would be recognized in 1966, when she was elected to be on the Association of American Dance Companies’ very first Board of Directors.Tatiana would maintain her position as the artistic director of the Kansas City Ballet until she stepped down in 1976, and she would remain at the Conservatory until her retirement in 1989. Throughout her career, she instructed countless ballet dancers with the use of a wooden cane to keep track of the beat, inspiring talented individuals to reach their potential in ballet. On September 21, 2005, Tatiana passed away, but her legacy continues to live on through the continuation of the Kansas City Ballet and its school that instructs future ballet dancers in the craft.The Kansas City Ballet and School is housed in the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity at 500 West Pershing Road in Kansas City, Missouri. The building, located next to the Union Station, once served as the “Power House,” or a coal-based power plant that developed steam for the Station. After renovations, the Center opened in August of 2011 to serve as the home of the Kansas City Ballet and School, offering plenty of space for both students and professional dancers the opportunity to improve their ballet skills. The space also houses the Tatiana Dokoudovska Library for Dance, which has primary source documents from Tatiana herself that trace the history of the Kansas City Ballet. Although Tatiana Dokoudovska did not have the opportunity to see the opening and use of the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity, its mission to provide access to ballet instruction further promotes Dokoudovska’s legacy in the Kansas City community. Her passion and dedication shaped the professional ballet scene in Kansas City, something that may have taken decades longer if she had not pursued its development.

The Kansas City Ballet and School is currently housed in the Ted Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity next to the Union Station, and conducts their performances at the Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The Kansas City Ballet was founded by Tatiana Dokoudovska in the late 1950s. A professionally trained and accomplished ballerina, Dokoudovska performed across Europe and the United States. Her experience as a dancer provided her with the skills to become a successful ballet instructor, albeit a stern one. Her passion for dance allowed her to support the ballet department at the Conservatory of Music, which would one day be a part of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and provided a foundation for ballet appreciation in the city. Dokoudovska's legacy lives on both in the professional performances by the Kansas City Ballet, and in the ballet instruction that the Kansas City Ballet School provides.

Tatiana Dokoudovska, Kansas City Ballet and School

The Willows was opened by Edwin and Cora May Haworth in 1905 and moved to this location three years later after they acquired Asa Maddox's mansion and converted it into a maternity hospital. The Haworth family and their staff endeavored to provide unwed pregnant daughters of middle-class and affluent families who could afford their rates a chance to give birth away from public scrutiny. The institution reflected the racially segregated nature of Kansas City at that time, with African American women entering Florence Home for Colored Girls. The era's view of race, religion, social class, and ethnicity could also play a significant role in the decisions of family members to send their daughters to maternity homes. According to KelLee Parr, author of Mansion on a Hill: The Story of the Willows Maternity Sanitarium and the Adoption Hub of America some of the women who entered the Willows did so largely because they did not support their daughter's desire to marry the father of their child."Several have shared with me that because of religious differences between the young man and young woman," Parr explained in an email to Dr. David Trowbridge, "the parents wouldn't allow them to get married. One was a woman who shared that the boy's father was a Methodist pastor and she was Catholic. There was no way he would allow them to be married. Another woman told me that she and her boyfriend were deeply in love (this is the one who wrote all the letters to the boyfriend while at The Willows) but the boy was of Lebanese heritage and she was blond and blue-eyed. The boy's mother wouldn't allow him to marry her." Ironically, Parr added, their baby was adopted by a family of Lebanese ancestry.Many residents at the Willows commended the staff for their kindness during difficult times in their lives. An estimated thirty thousand women gave birth at the home over the years it was in operation. By the late 1960s, however, the perceived need for maternity homes was on the decline as a reflection of changes in society.Sometime after the closing of the Willows Maternity Sanitarium, almost all of its records were destroyed. According to the research of KelLee Parr, records from the home were initially were offered to the Jackson County Court, which refused to accept them. According to Parr, the records were taken to the Federal Reserve where they were destroyed. The loss of records led Parr and many other descendants of babies born at the Willows on extensive and often unsuccessful attempts to discover their family histories.Former nurse Florence Beale Bolte donated a small number of items to Missouri Valley Special Collections (MVSC) at the Kansas City Public Library. The MVSC website provides this disclaimer to researchers "Please note that MVSC does not have any records from any of the Kansas City maternity homes, nor are we aware of where any surviving records may be located." The Jackson County Historical Society also houses some materials from the organization. The building that housed the Willows Maternity Sanitarium is no longer in existence; an apartment complex now sits on the lot where the home once stood. Families who are connected to this history raised thousands of dollars to create a historical marker that is in storage as of July 2022. The group hopes to secure the permission of the current property owner to dedicate the marker at this location.

Now home to an apartment complex, this was the location of the Willows Maternity Sanitarium from 1908 until 1969. This home for unwed mothers was one of many maternity homes in Kansas City, which was nicknamed the “adoption hub” of the United States owing to Missouri's unique adoption laws that provided simplicity and privacy for mothers and the adopting parents. Tens of thousands of mothers came to Kansas City in the first half of the 20th century owing to the existence of numerous institutions like Willows Maternity Sanitarium, as well as partnerships between social services organizations and Kansas City hospitals. The Willows and its owners, Edwin P. and Cora May Haworth, earned a reputation for kindness, first-class medical care, and exceptional accommodations for the young women under their care. These factors distinguished the Willows from many other maternity homes, but still, nearly all of the estimated thirty thousand women who entered this facility left alone as nearly all of the babies born here were placed for adoption.

Willows Maternity Sanitarium (1905-1969)

Born on February 9, 1907, Hazel Browne Williams would become an educator who overcame racism to become the first full-time Black professor at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Kansas City, Missouri, she would pursue a degree in education at the University of Kansas, receiving her bachelor's in 1927 and her master's in 1929. After teaching at the Louisville Community College, Williams would continue her education, achieving a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Columbia University and culminating with a Ph.D from New York University in 1953. Beginning her career at UMKC in 1958 as an associate professor, she would later become the first fulltime African American professor at UMKC in the 1960s. She passed away on July 7, 1986, after a lifetime of perseverance and breaking both racial and gender barriers.

Hazel Browne Williams, Lincoln High School

In 1999, Moses described the importance of the EPA's Environmental Justice Program before the Iowa Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Right by stating that the program is "one of the catalysts for changing the way EPA does business, outreach, and public education." The program, Moses explained, is critical to offering public education about the decision-making processes inside the EPA and ensuring meaningful involvement and fair treatment of low-income and minority citizens.The Environmental Protection Agency EPA defines environmental justice as fair treatment for all people in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Fair treatment implies that no persons or group of people should shoulder a disproportionate share of negative impacts related to pollution and other environmental factors. In her personal life, Moses was a devoted wife and mother of three children and active in the community. Althea Moses was active in numerous community groups and a member of Jamison Memorial Temple C.M.E. where she was a leader within the church's music and children’s ministry.

Althea Moses served as the Environmental Justice Coordinator for the Environmental Protection Agency where she represented the needs of communities throughout Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska until her death in 2022. Moses' career spanned thirty years beginning shortly after she graduated from Prairie View A&amp;M University in 1991. During her career, Moses worked as a liaison between numerous diverse communities and the EPA, supporting outreach and educational initiatives about environmental and health-related issues. Her work focusses on including members of low-income and minority communities in the decision making process while also providing access to EPA programs and resources. Like many influential women who dedicated their lives to serving the people of Kansas City, there is not currently a monument or historical marker recognizing Moses's life. As a result, the authors of this women's history trail have decided to place this stop honoring Althea Moses's life at one of the many community centers where she led meetings that blended her efforts of outreach and education about Enviro9onmental Justice.

Althea Marie Moses (1967-2022)

Lucile H. Bluford was born on July 1, 1911, in Salisbury, South Carolina, to John Henry Bluford, Sr., and Viola Harris Bluford. Viola Bluford passed away when Lucille was a child, and Lucile lived with her grandmother for several years. After her father remarried and received a teaching position at Lincoln High School, Lucille and her siblings were reunited in Kansas City, Missouri. Lucile also attended Lincoln High Schoo where she demonstrated academic prowess and became the valedictorian in 1928. After graduation, Lucile wanted to pursue a degree in journalism. For most students with her credentials, talent, and interests, attending and graduating from the University of Missouri's top-ranked journalism program would be the first step towards a successful career. However, the University of Missouri was closed to African American students at that time. Lincoln University, an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) did not offer journalism, leading Lucile Bluford to attend the University of Kansas to pursue a journalism degree.  Bluford was successful throughout her time at the University of Kansas, and this continued after her graduation. While she had worked summers at the Kansas City Call throughout her undergraduate career, she would not immediately pursue a career with the newspaper after her graduation. Instead, Bluford moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to work for the Atlanta Daily World. While the color line was drawn tightly in Kansas City, segregation determined nearly every aspect of life in Georgia which encouraged Bluford's decision to return to Kansas City. Bluford worked at the Kansas City American, another newspaper that catered to the Black community, and then returned to the Kansas City Call as a reporter. The Call, as it is also known, was developed by Chester Arthur Franklin in 1919 and quickly became the leading African American newspaper in Kansas City. The newspaper provided the community with information on civil rights issues as well as other news. Bluford continually contributed to The Call by writing political, and even controversial, articles. She especially promoted the fight against discrimination, both in her career and other endeavors. In 1939, Lucile applied for the journalism graduate program at the University of Missouri. While her original application was accepted, she was later rejected when the university learned about her race. Enlisting the help of the NAACP, Bluford sued the university for drawing the color line, noting that this effectively barred all Black citizens in the state the opportunity to earn an M.A. in journalism. Bluford's lawsuit reached the Missouri Supreme Court which ruled that either Bluford would need to be permitted into the University of Missouri’s program, or a similar program would need to be introduced at Lincoln University. While Bluford opted out of attending the program developed at Lincoln University, and never attended the University of Missouri, her case and the court's decision was an important step towards the complete desegregation of state-supported universities. Both before and after her court case, Bluford served as a reporter at The Call, a mutually supportive arrangement that provided Bluford with networks of support while her talents served the newspaper's growing readership and their interests in stories related to civil rights. In 1955, Chester Arthur Franklin passed away, and Bluford took his place as head editor of The Call a role she held for decades. During these years, Bluford instigated changes while upholding Franklin’s vision of providing a newspaper of and for the African American community. In the late 1950s and 1960s, The Call was one of the leading centers of information related to civil rights in Kansas City. Under Bluford’s leadership, support for Civil Rights leaders, African Americans running for office, and coverage of news pertaining to events fighting against discrimination were often present in the newspaper. Years after being denied entrance to the University of Missouri based on her race, Lucile Bluford was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University in 1989. She accepted this degree to honor all African Americans who had been discriminated against and struggled for educational equality in the United States. She died on June 13, 2003, after a life of service to the public. Her dedication to the Civil Rights movement, education, and the spread of information caused her to become an icon in Kansas City. The dedication of this Kansas City Public Library in her honor in 1988 is one of several physical reminders of Bluford's influential life.

Dedicated in 1988, this branch of the Kansas City Public Library was dedicated in honor of journalist and community leader Lucile Bluford Branch. Lucile Bluford was born in North Carolina in 1911 and moved to Kansas City at a young age where she became an avid reader. After earning a degree in journalism, she worked as a reporter and attempted to enroll in the University of Missouri's graduate program. After being barred from admission due to her race, she led an influential legal case against the University that paved the way for changes in Missouri. Bluford demonstrated the same determination on behalf of Kansas City's Black communities as a journalist and eventual editor of the Kansas City Call. As a reporter and editor, Bluford investigated cases of racial discrimination in a career that spanned decades. In addition to the continued work of the Kansas City Call, Bluford's lasting impact is evident in this Kansas City library which is home to a community meeting room and one of the largest collections of African American literature in the region. The library also serves as the home of a community health center and offers a variety of services designed to connect patrons to information and opportunities.

Lucile Bluford Branch, Kansas City Public Library

Born to store owners Bluma and Tzvi Eliezer Kibel in 1926, Bronia Kibel (Roslawowski) was raised in Turek, Poland. She and her siblings attended public school during the day and Beit Yakov, or religious school, at night which allowed her to learn both Polish and Hebrew. When the Germans invaded Turek in September 1939, Jewish children were no longer permitted to attend school which ended her formal education to the 7th grade although her mother was able to hire a teacher to come to their house to educate their children which led to her learning the German language in addition to continuing her education. As the occupation by the Germans worsened, Bronia’s family lost their business and their home. Like other German families in Turek, here family was forcibly relocated to Breite Gasse, the ghetto in Turek. In 1940, Nazi soldiers moved the family to Heidemuhle, about eight kilometers from Turek, where they lived in shacks and grew their own food for survival. Soon after the family’s second relocation, the Nazis began a selection process from each of the families in Heidemuhle. They selected one family member from each family to be taken to area labor camps. Bronia’s older sister was selected in this process, but Bronia Kibel intervened and requested to take her sister’s place because she recognized that she had a better chance of surviving. The selfless act saved her sister only temporarily as Bronia’s sister perished along with six million others as the people enduring life in ghettos and labor camps were sent to extermination camps in the final years of the war. After volunteering in her sister's place, Bronia Kibel joined 250 other Polish Jews at Inowroclaw and then endured a forced march to Grodno, Poland. Bronia was in Grodno until 1943, spending each day walking to Kruswica to scrape scum off of the canals and returning to the barn where she and others slept. In 1943, Bronia was one of the workers selected to go onto the trains to Auschwitz, a journey of three days and nights in a cattle car. When Bronia Kibel arrived at Auschwitz, she was herded into a large room with other women and tattooed with an identification number. She also had her head shaved and her clothing was replaced by a uniform infested with lice. She was assigned to Block 13 where she and four to six people shared a bunk. Sickness was rampant, and together with the daily threat of physical abuse and forced labor, Jews at Auschwitz in 1943 saw firsthand the camps' transition to becoming the largest of the Nazi extermination camps. In 1943, she served in a group of three women who planted trees in order to build forests. By 1944, Bronia Kibel was very ill and weighed only sixty-five pounds.By this time, when a prisoner at Auschwitz became ill, they were usually taken to the gas chambers or the crematorium. Recognizing the hopelessness of her situation while she was being transported to the crematorium on a truck, Bronia jumped and was able to escape back to one of the labor sections where she was able to live until she and others were moved to work in a factory as Soviet Army was nearing. The liberation of Auschwitz saved many lives, but by that time, Bronia Kibel was living and working in a factory. She and 12,000 women were taken on a death march that lasted days, ending in Salzwedel. It was here that Bronia was liberated by American troops in mid-April of 1945.  After liberation, Bronia Kibel decided she wanted to leave with the Americans, as the Holocaust had killed all of her family and she had nothing left in Europe. Before immigrating, she went to Braunschweig and learned how to type while at a Displaced Persons (DP) Camp. She also met her future husband, Mendel Roslawowski, and the couple married in 1947. After their marriage, the couple had a choice of where to live in the U.S. Bronia and Mendel chose Kansas City because, as she said: <blockquote>“President Truman is from Missouri. Kansas City is the heart of America. Let’s go to Kansas City – Kansas City here I come!”4</blockquote>Once in Kansas City, Bronia opened M&amp;M Bakery at 1721 E 31st Street, Kansas City, Missouri. She was known as a kind-hearted woman who remembered every customer who came into her establishment. She even held off a potential armed robber at her store with baked goods, proclaiming that if Hitler couldn’t kill her, neither could the robber. Her fighting spirit followed her until the end of her life. Bronia passed away on July 14, 2010, but her memory lives on, especially in the M&amp;M Bakery, which is still open for business today.

Established shortly after World War II by Holocaust survivor Bronia Roslawowski and her husband Mendel, M&amp;M Bakery has been a cornerstone of this Kansas City community for nearly eight decades. In 1984 Roslawowski sold the bakery to Dorothy Williams, a former employee, and her husband Pat. The Williams family continues to operate the business in the Jewish deli tradition with many of Roslawowski's original recipes. During her life, Bronia Roslawowski was a beloved figure in the community known for generosity and courage, as demonstrated by community members who continue to tell stories of how she consistently helped people in need while standing up to those who underestimated her, including a would-be robber. Eager to educate the public on the dangers of fascism and anti-Semitism, Roslawowski worked with the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education and spoke on behalf of other Holocaust survivors until she passed away in 2010.

M&M Bakery and Delicatessen and the Legacy of Bronia Roslawowski

<blockquote>"I think we need to make kids a priority."2</blockquote>In a 2017 interview with Global Sisters Report, Sister Berta Sailer emphasized this point when speaking of the systems within our nation that impact impoverished children, foster children, and orphans. And, while both Sister Berta and Sister Corita Bussanmas highlighted how there is still work to be done to help children living in poverty, their lives were an example on how to make such changes and help children in need.Sister Corita and Sister Berta met in 1958 when they were both assigned to the Our Lady of Angels School in Chicago by their order, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The school had just experienced an unimaginable tragedy: a fire that took the lives of 92 students. Sister Corita and Sister Berta learned firsthand how to comfort children, including those who had undergone great suffering, and ran a club for wayward teens in the area. In the latter half of the 1960s, they were assigned to St. Vincent's in Kansas City. While at St. Vincent's, Sisters Corita and Berta recognized that single mothers in the area needed childcare in order to provide for their families. Thus, the pair began to provide this service for their community, ignoring the Catholic diocese's plans to close St. Vincent's and the childcare it provided. Their dedication to the community allowed them to maintain the school as well as provide daycare services for younger children in the convent's living room.In 1971, their vision expanded, and Sister Corita and Berta consolidated their childcare program and the school into Operation Breakthrough, a not-for-profit dedicated to providing necessary services to impoverished children in the community. It was originally located at 31st and Paseo, moving to its current location in 1981. The pair worked countless hours to maintain Operation Breakthrough and build it from the ground up, personally communicating with politicians, athletes, and philanthropists to gain donations and support from prominent members of the community. While their work within Operation Breakthrough and the community was important, the pair devoted even more of themselves to the needs of children in the 1990s: they became foster parents.In 1994, Sister Corita and Sister Berta became licensed foster parents, and fostered over 70 children throughout their lives. They also adopted four children: Yauti, Ronnie, Vanshay, and Tyrez. This was not a common practice for nuns at the time, but Sister Cortia and Berta did not let that stop them from changing the lives of dozens of children in the Kansas City area. Their contributions have been recognized more than once, with Sister Berta receiving the 2010 Greater Missouri Woman of the Year award, and Sister Corita receiving the 2006 Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award, and the Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Both were inducted into the Starr Women's Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2021. Sadly, Sister Corita Bussanmas passed away on March 27, 2021, but her legacy lives on through Operation Breakthrough.Currently, Operation Breakthrough serves over 700 children every weekday, ranging from infants to 14-year-olds. The organization provides before and after school care, as well as educational programming. The services Operation Breakthrough provide to the community are vital for the wellness of children and families who are living in poverty, and the legacy of Sister Corita and Sister Berta will live on through the organization's work.

Operation Breakthrough was co-founded by Sister Corita Bussanmas and Sister Berta Sailer in 1971 when their efforts to serve the families of this neighborhood demonstrated the need for a nonprofit childcare organization. The two nuns worked around the clock and demonstrated incredible creativity to meet the needs of parents and children in the early years of the organization. Thanks to their leadership and example, the organization now provides educational programming, before and after school care, well-child care, resources for parental support, and emergency services. The organization aids children and parents that live in poverty, and cares for over 700 children each weekday. Sister Corita and Sister Berta were fierce advocates for children and personally approached the leading athletes, philanthropists, and politicians in the community to gain support and funds for Operation Breakthrough. Their advocacy expanded, educating middle-class families in the community on the issues of poverty in the Kansas City area. On top of developing Operation Breakthrough, Sister Corita and Sister Berta served as foster parents for dozens of children.

Operation Breakthrough, Sister Corita Bussanmas and Sister Berta Sailer

Bettye Wilson Miller was born in Clinton, Missouri, on September 12, 1927, to Bernis and Maude Wilson. She attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, where she received both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Music. Her studies focussed on vocal performance which helped shape her career after two years of working as an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia.  Before her partnership with the jazz bassist, Milt Abel, Bettye was married to her first husband, Joel Miller. Her daughter from this marriage was named Bettyejo, and she would keep her last name from this marriage for her professional career. When she was in Kansas City, she would join the Kansas City scene as both a vocalist and a pianist in the early 1950s. She began with a trio comprised of herself, the bassist Milt Abel, and the drummer Wallace Jones. Milt and Bettye became romantically involved long after their initial acquaintanceship, playing together in both a trio and duo setting prior to their marriage years after their first meeting. They would become legends within the Kansas City jazz scene from the 1950s until the 1970s.  They played usual gigs at many different Kansas City establishments, including The Strawberry Patch, The Plaza III Restaurant, and Putsch’s 210 Restaurant. However, one of their most important venues was The Horseshoe Lounge at 32nd and Troost. This lounge had been the place at which they first met, and thus, served as a foundation for their iconic jazz duo. Unfortunately, all of the venues that Bettye and Milt performed at are no longer in business. While some of them have been replaced by newer businesses, The Horseshoe Lounge has since been completely demolished. Bettye and Milt would not perform only in local venues, however, and would even perform in establishments in New York, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas, among others. Their impact on Kansas City jazz in the mid-20th century was undeniable, contributing to and promoting the reawakening of jazz within the city. This included their development of contemporary swing, which was a part of the modern jazz movement. Their prominence in the music scene in the city, lasting over 20 years, spoke to their success and prowess. Bettye was even known as the high priestess and queen of Kansas City Jazz, which was a title that Mary Lou Williams, another famous jazz musician, had also held at one point. The fact that their usual gigs were filled with dedicated fans and regulars also displays the impact they had within the modern jazz community in Kansas City. Bettye expanded her love of jazz into community foundations, including her contributions to the Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation. Charlie Parker was an influential jazz saxophonist from Kansas City, Kansas, and the memorial foundation in his name provides music education and also works to preserve the memory of Kansas City Jazz. Bettye donated her time and talents to the foundation, thus contributing to music education and the preservation of jazz. In 1975, Bettye was diagnosed with cancer. After fighting her illness for two years, Bettye Miller Abel passed away on February 28, 1977. Hundreds attended her funeral and shared memories of her kind nature and the contributions she made to the Kansas City jazz community, and many more attended the memorial concert held in her honor.

Jazz musicians in Kansas City shaped the genre in the 1920s and 1930s, and area artists like Bettye Wilson Miller contributed to the "modern jazz" movement from the 1950s to the 1970s. Bettye Miller met Milt Abel at the Horseshoe Lounge, which was located at 3243 Troost Avenue, and the pair formed a professional partnership that grew the Kansas City sound. The duo, who would later be married, took the Kansas City music scene by storm. Her vocals and piano skills paired with Milt's bass skills led to sold-out performances throughout Kansas City as well as national performances. Bettye also mentored youth and supported musical education through her support of the Charlie Parker Memorial Foundation until she passed away in 1977 after an extended battle with cancer. The Horseshoe Lounge was demolished in the latter half of the 20th century, but the legacy of her influence continued in the generations of Kansas City musicians that followed.

Bettye Wilson Miller, The Horseshoe Lounge (Demolished)

To mark the 1912 centennial of the Santa Fe Trail, a group
of Westport businessmen formed the Westport Improvement Association. The
Improvement Association sought to install a monument to that trail in Westport,
Missouri. The men worked with the Kansas City Historical Society, the Daughters
of the American Revolution, the Daughters of the Confederacy, other
genealogical organizations, and the National Old Trails Road Association to raise
money for a Pioneer Monument Fund. Together these voluntary organizations hosted
a Santa Fe Trail and Battle of Westport Reunion and Carnival. They envisioned a
life-sized stone sculpture including five yoke of oxen and a “prairie schooner with
wagon-master and bull-whackers and the faithful dog in the rear.”1 They planned to install it at the site of the City Hall of Westport,
which stood on the Santa Fe Trail route.

Plans for a stone sculpture depicting commercial traffic
over the Santa Fe Trail soon faded. But while the other organizations involved
in the centennial event soon turned toward other projects, the Daughters of Old
Westport were determined to erect a pioneer monument in their community. &nbsp;

The Daughters of Old Westport was a group of neighborhood
women descended from the earliest settlers of the town. They ran a doll booth
to raise money for a carnival at the Westport reunion. Their $181 in profit became
the start of an eight-year fundraising campaign. 

Instead of a life-sized stone sculpture, the Daughters of
Old Westport settled on a more modest design. It was&nbsp;similar to those erected by the
Daughters of the American Revolution in this era. The Westport women installed
two bronze bas relief plaques on a large boulder, which they placed in the
heart of Westport’s historic business district.

Instead of celebrating the men who hauled goods between
Missouri and New Mexico, the Daughters of Old Westport commemorated the first
women who settled in their town. Sculptor
Merrell Gage’s central bas relief depicts a white mother with her two young
children. She holds a rifle to defend her children against wild animals and the
Native Americans these white settlers displaced. Text in the upper right corner
dedicates it “To the Pioneer Mother.” 

On the back of
the boulder, an accompanying dedication plaque features a male trapper and
American Indian reminiscent of those that appeared in earlier pioneer monuments
elsewhere in the American West. The Daughters of Old Westport Memorial was one
of the first monuments to pioneer women erected in the United States. Dozens
more would follow later in the 1920s.

Westport businessmen wanted to put up a life-sized stone wagon train to mark the centennial of the Santa Fe Trail. Instead, local women raised the funds for this 1920 tribute "To the Pioneer Mother." It was one of the first pioneer mother monuments erected in the United States.

Daughters of Old Westport Memorial

In recognition of her service to the community and leadership of the Kansas City, Missouri Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners, this urban space became a park in the 1960s and then remained to honor Anita Gorman in 1991. The designation was fitting, not only because Gorman was the first woman appointed as a parks commissioner but because of her leadership in preserving this land in the years prior to the park's establishment, a time when this land was under consideration for commercial development. Anita B. Gorman was the first woman appointed to the Missouri Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners when she joined the board in 1979, and she also served as the president of the board from 1986 until 1991.Gorman was born Anita Belle McPike and attended North Kansas City High School, and graduated from William Jewell College before earning a master’s degree from Boston University. She married Gerald Gorman in 1954, and the couple worked together to support North Kansas City through the preservation of public spaces along with community service. Anita Gorman worked to preserve a Native American archaeological site as well as an open space in North Kansas City that is now home to the Northland Fountain and a public park that bears her name. A leading supporter of the Kansas City Zoo, Starlight Theater, the City of Fountains, and the National World War I Memorial, Gorman's legacy remains closely connected to her work preserving natural spaces in urban settings, including this nature center and its winding trails.In addition to eight acres of birds, plants, butterflies, and trails that wind through dedicated prairie, wetland, woodland, and forest habitats, the Discovery Center also offers exhibits inside its building and free nature programs. There are also programs for Missouri schools, scheduled tours, activities for bird watching, and programs for families. The Missouri Outdoors Nature Shop offers books and educational materials and a place to obtain hunting and fishing permits.

Named in honor of longtime Kansas City resident Anita B. Gorman, this nature center offers various programs and community spaces along with eight acres of natural habitats that are representative of the region. In addition to programs within the center, visitors to the center can enjoy interpretive nature trails through woodland, wetland, and prairie habitats. The center also hosts educational programs for schools and families along with a children's play area.

Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center

The Kansas City Repertory Theatre was founded in 1964 by Dr. Patricia McIlrath, who served as its Artistic Director, as well as the head of the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Theatre Department, until her retirement in 1985. Dr. McIlrath greatly contributed to the growth of both the professional theatre scene, as well as the academic theatre program at UMKC, in the Kansas City area. Her exceptional background proved to be beneficial to her work in Kansas City. She graduated from Grinnell College with a Bachelor of Arts in History and chose to broaden her scope for her graduate career. She received a Master of Arts in Speech and Theatre from Northwestern, and completed her education with a Ph.D. in Theatre and English from Stanford University in 1951. With such amazing academic credentials, Dr. McIlrath moved into her professional career with ease. In 1954, she joined the faculty at UMKC and worked her way up to becoming the head of the theatre department. While this alone is an accomplishment in and of itself, Dr. McIlrath continued to prove her prowess through additional achievements. One such achievement was the founding of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, also referred to as the Missouri Repertory Theatre, in 1964. Prior to its creation, the professional theatre scene in Kansas City was not one of merit. Additionally, Dr. McIlrath used this Theatre as an opportunity to combine professional theatre with academic theatre. She realized, after entering the field outside of academia, professional development was crucial to truly prepare students for entering theatre careers. Thus, the Rep, as many refer to the Theatre, served as an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience with professionals. This was an innovative practice that Dr. McIlrath capitalized on throughout her career. While providing a way for theatre students to gain exposure to professionals, Dr. McIlrath also expanded the professional theatre scene in areas around the Kansas City metro as director of the Missouri Vanguard Theatre, a traveling unit associated with the Rep. The Rep was relocated to the Helen F. Spencer Theatre on the UMKC campus in 1979. This move provided a permanent space for the KC Rep and allowed for further collaboration between it and the Theatre Department at UMKC. Dr. McIlrath introduced additional programs in order to further assist her students in their pursuit of careers in the theatre field. One such program was an artist-in-residence, which brought in a different theatre professional each year to serve as a resource and mentor for students. Residents were not only professionals from the United States, with Dr. McIlrath extending her reach to China and Russia to bring in professionals. One such artist-in-residence was Ying Ruocheng, a highly sought-after actor in China, for the 1982-83 academic year. Other additions to the Rep included visiting directors, including Academy Award winner John Houseman, among other top professionals. Dr. McIlrath’s ability to enhance both the Repertory Theatre and the Theatre Department to national recognition displayed her passion and determination to better the theatre field for prospective students and professionals. In Dr. McIlrath’s own words:<blockquote> “The nurturing my proteges received at the Rep has resulted in their founding nine more professional theatres. And I’m very proud of that. I think that the more theatre you have, the better.”5</blockquote>Dr. McIlrath served as member of many different organizations, including on the board of the American Theatre Association, the board of the National Theatre Conference, and on the board of the National Endowment of the Arts. She also received three honorary doctorates of humane letters, one from Grinnell College, one from Park College, and one from William Jewel College. She was beloved by her colleagues and students, proven by multiple correspondence and letters found in the Kansas City Repertory Theater Collection in the LaBudde Special Collections at UMKC. Her contributions shaped both the professional and academic theatre spheres in Kansas City. As Dr. McIlrath said herself: <blockquote>“The interaction of the professional and non-professional and the semi-professional and the university in Kansas City is, I think, greater than anyplace I’ve ever known.”5</blockquote>Overall, her contributions to theatre within Kansas City, as well as her lasting impression on others throughout her life, have made her an excellent role model for those who want to follow in her footsteps.

The Kansas City Repertory Theatre was founded in 1964 by Dr. Patricia McIlrath, who served as its Artistic Director, as well as the head of the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Theatre Department, until her retirement in 1985. Dr. McIlrath was a woman of great notoriety, who provided her expertise and passion to the KC Rep, offering a wonderful Theatre experience for those in the Kansas City area. A Kansas City native, Dr. McIlrath left the city for her education, yet returned for the majority of her career at UMKC. Nominated for multiple distinguished awards, as well as serving as a representative for multiple organizations, Dr. McIlrath demonstrated the importance of dedication, hard work, and perseverance. Her memory is alive within the Kansas City Repertory Theatre as well as the UMKC Theatre Department, and her contributions to the theatre scene in Kansas City remain important to this day.

Dr. Patricia McIlrath - Kansas City Repertory Theatre

Martha Jane Starr was born Martha Jane Phillips on November 27, 1906, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Martha was born into a privileged family, with her father, L.E. Phillips, being one of the co-founders of the Phillips Petroleum Company. She attended Bartlesville High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society and the State Honor Society. Martha graduated from high school in 1925. While her family upbringing offered her special advantages, such as world travels, she was not permitted the chance to attend University. Although her brothers received a university education, Martha attended the Erskine School for Girls, a finishing school in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1925 until 1927. Although she was not allowed the chance to receive a higher education, this would not hinder Martha from achieving her goals and helping those throughout the community. In 1929, Martha would marry John “Twink” Starr, who had been working for L.E. Phillips as a geologist in his petroleum company. The couple would move to Kansas City in 1932, where both Martha’s and John’s contributions to the community began. Martha entered the Kansas City Junior League the same year she moved to the city, and would be a member in various positions for decades. When World War II broke out, John was called to military service, while Martha was called to community service. She served at the Red Cross Blood Center from 1942 to 1944, and served as the Chairman of the Red Cross Nurse’s Aid Program from 1944 to 1946. After the War ended, John returned to Kansas City and both Starrs continued to contribute to Kansas City throughout their lives. Martha would move onto a wide array of public work through various volunteer organizations and community affiliations. One such organization, which was especially progressive for the time, was Planned Parenthood, which Martha began working with in 1947. Through her work with Planned Parenthood, whom she would work with for years and serve as a board member and president, she focused on biological aspects of reproduction. This focus, which was not a common research topic within the medical community at the time, would lead to the creation of the first Research Professorship in Human Reproduction, held at the University of Kansas Medical Center. While rallying the funds for this professorship was difficult, it would be successful. However, Martha would not end her quest for educating the community on reproduction and relationships with her time at Planned Parenthood. In fact, her work was only just beginning. Martha held the importance of family and marriage in high regard, and believed that marriage should be a partnership of equality between spouses. She wanted to provide education for such an interpersonal relationship, especially with the prevalence of military marriages after World War II and the subsequent challenges they were facing. Her passion for this topic led her to Dr. David Mace, who was a sociology expert focusing on marriage enrichment. With his expertise, and the combined work of Martha and other individuals and organizations, the Research Center on Family Development was born in 1959. While this was an exciting feat in itself, it was difficult to gain public backing without a more credible institution in the mix. That led to a partnership with the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1963. The University and Research Center merged together to form the Family Study Center. Although the Family Study Center closed in the 1990s, there were many programs that branched from the Center that are still in operation today, including the UMKC Women’s Center. While educating the public on family relationships was highly important to Martha, she was also passionate about women’s empowerment and development.  This work led Martha to yet another creation: the Women’s Council at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She and a group of determined women formed the Women’s Council in 1967 to support women in the university system. Martha continued her work for women in the university system by creating the Graduate Assistance Fund. This fund provided women who were in need with scholarships for their education. Not long after the creation of the Women’s Council, Martha was recognized for her enduring service to the community. In 1968, she was awarded the UMKC Chancellor’s Medal, making Martha the first woman to receive the award. Her participation in community organizations is innumerable, including affiliations with: the Kansas City Council of Churches, the Greater Kansas City Mental Health Foundation Board, and the UMKC Board of Trustees. She would additionally provide donations and funds to multiple organizations and charities throughout her life. Martha Jane Starr would pass away on November 14, 2011, at her home, after a lifetime of philanthropy and community advocacy. The Starr Women’s Hall of Fame, named after Martha Jane Starr, started in 2015 and is housed on the third floor of the Miller Nichols Library on the University of Missouri-Kanas City’s campus. It recognizes extraordinary women each year for their dedication to bettering the Kansas City area.

In recognition of the extraordinary life and contributions of Martha Jane Starr and many other women in Kansas City, the University of Missouri-Kansas City created the Starr Women's Hall of Fame in 2015. The third floor of the Miller Nichols Library includes a gallery that honors inductees and shares the history of the diverse women who have made a significant impact in Kansas City and beyond. The Hall's namesake, Martha Jane Starr, was a woman with a passion for education, advocacy for women, and helping the community as demonstrated by her support of numerous volunteer organizations. Among Starr's contributions are leadership in founding the Women's Council at the University of Missouri-Kanas City as well as the Graduate Assistance Fund for women in higher education. Her passion for promoting education on reproduction and support for programs that strengthen familial relationships and marriage allowed her and her programs to help families and couples in the area.

Starr Women's Hall of Fame, University of Missouri-Kansas City

<blockquote>"To our Club-Loyalty; To the Community-Service."1</blockquote>The idea for the Kansas City Young Matrons was conceived by Carolyn Farwell Fuller, the President of the Athenaeum from 1917 to 1918. She wanted to establish a club that allowed married women the opportunity to expand their interests, especially in relation to charity and education. On September 14, 1917, the KCYM, originally known as the Kansas City Athenaeum Young Matrons, was established in the Kansas City Athenaeum Club House. However, in 1920, the club withdrew from the Athenaeum Club and was newly recognized as the Kansas City Young Matrons. By September of 1936, the club opened its own clubhouse at 51st and Oak Street in Kansas City. Throughout the years, KCYM has worked with dozens of civic and social organizations, and its members have contributed countless volunteer hours at such organizations.In 1998, the clubhouse was listed on the Kansas City Register of Historic Places. This listing protected the clubhouse from demolition, which was highly important nearly 20 years later. In 2015, the University of Missouri-Kansas City had plans to develop a mixed-use building. Unfortunately, the placement on campus for this building would require the removal of the KCYM clubhouse. Due to its historic status, it could not be demolished. Instead, the building was relocated just a short distance away and was placed at 52nd and Cherry Street, where it is still located today. The movement of the building and its renovation and addition was completed by NSPJ Architects. Although this company does not normally conduct building relocations, they were happy to oblige for the KCYM house.KCYM still provides extensive philanthropic service, from volunteer hours by members to raising funds for worthy causes. Their biennial event, The Magic Ball, is a formal gala that raises significant funds for a specified philanthropic organization or project, which changes each time the gala is hosted. Through their intervention, KCYM provides beneficial services for the good of the community, thus perpetuating the organization's century-plus legacy of service to Kansas City.

Organized in 1917, and incorporated in 1921, the Kansas City Young Matrons is an organization that was originally for young, married women to conduct philanthropic work. The club began with just over 30 members and now boasts over 300. Throughout the year, members of KCYM contribute their time to volunteer hours around the community, and every two years they host The Magic Ball to raise funds for a specific philanthropic project.

Kansas City Young Matrons House

<blockquote>"I don't want to let any of us 'off the hook.' We need to reach out and make a difference."2</blockquote>Sister Rosemary Flanigan, Ph.D, spent her life advocating for others in many different ways. Sister Rosemary completed a doctorate in philosophy at Saint Louis University, and continually used her education to promote philosophy and ethics throughout the communities she served. In 1965, as a nun within the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, she traveled with five other Catholic nuns from St. Louis, Missouri, to Selma, Alabama. Once there, the nuns participated in the civil rights march across the Pettus Bridge. The Selma Six, or the Sisters of Selma, as they were called, marked the first time Catholic nuns participated in a national public protest. In an interview in 2020, Sister Rosemary recalled her participation in Selma:<blockquote>"We stood with Black people in Selma, but what a little bitty thing we did."2</blockquote>Through this remark, she calls on people today to do more in making a difference, truly working towards making changes for the betterment of vulnerable people and communities.Although she was outspoken about civil rights for decades, Sister Rosemary was more well-known for different community contributions. Sister Rosemary served as an educator in multiple different academic institutions, including Avila University and Rockhurst University. She also taught English and Philosophy at her alma mater, St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City. St. Teresa's, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, is the oldest high school in Kansas City. Opened in 1866, the academy aimed to provide educational opportunities to women and prepare them for their futures, which continues to be their mission to this day.After decades of teaching, Sister Rosemary moved from education to the healthcare field, advocating for patients and ethical practices in medicine. She served as the director of ethics and educational development at the Center for Practical Bioethics from 1992 until 2010, and also served as an ethics consultant throughout her time at the Center. She assisted with the development of ethics committees in countless hospitals across the country. In this role, Sister Rosemary also educated the members of newly formed ethics committees on ethical practices and ways to approach life-or-death situations within hospitals and nursing homes. She also served on the Community Advisory Committee for the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City in 2004 and 2005, after being appointed by Attorney General Jay Nixon. Throughout her life, Sister Rosemary advocated for vulnerable people and communities and affirmed the dignity of all people. By 2012, Sister Rosemary had retired from the Center for Practical Bioethics and other professional endeavors due to her deteriorating hearing, but, she volunteered two days per week at the St. Teresa Academy archives. In 2017, she was inducted into the Starr Women's Hall of Fame at the University of Missouri-Kansas City for her contributions to Civil Rights, education, and bioethics. As of 2020, she was still advocating for racial equality and the importance of supporting vulnerable communities, as seen in her interview with Carol Coburn for the Global Sisters Report.

Sister Rosemary Flanigan, Ph.D, has lived a life of service through her participation in activist movements, education, and healthcare organizations. As one member of the Selma Six, or the Sisters of Selma, Sr. Rosemary was among six Catholic nuns who participated in the 1965 Civil Rights march in Selma. This served as the first time that Catholic nuns participated in a public national protest, emphasizing their call for racial equality and the importance of the Civil Rights movement. However, Sr. Rosemary is more well-known for the contributions she made later in her life. She served as director of ethics and educational development at the Center for Practical Bioethics, and served as an educator for almost 30 years, including years spent at her alma mater, St. Teresa's Academy in Kansas City.

Sister Rosemary Flanigan, St. Teresa's Academy

Dr. Linda Hood Talbott was born in 1940 to Henry H. Hood and Helen Hamrick Hood. Dr. Talbott credited her mother as her primary influence for her success, drawing inspiration from her example as she balanced her work as an interior designer with other pursuits, including a career as a pianist that was cut short owing to arthritis. Talbott excelled as a student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, earning her Bachelor of Arts in 1962, her Master of Arts in 1964, and finally, her Doctorate in Higher Education Administration in 1973. Her passion for higher education would be a common theme throughout her life, and she supported scholarships and other endeavors at UMKC for decades to come. After receiving her doctorate, Dr. Talbott was offered an opportunity to remain at UMKC. Under the leadership of Chancellor James Olson, Dr. Talbott served as the director of development, in which she helped establish a partnership of funding for the UMKC Performing Arts Center. Dr. Talbott had a passion for promoting education, especially among women and girls, as well as promoting additional philanthropic endeavors. She established Talbott &amp; Associates in 1975 and served as its president and CEO for decades. Talbott &amp; Associates is an organization that provides philanthropic management to nonprofit organizations, foundations, and corporations, otherwise assisting them with planning their philanthropic aspirations. This was just the tip of the iceberg for Dr. Talbott, however, marking the early years of a highly successful career. Dr. Talbott served as a founding member of multiple organizations along with other influential women in the area, helping to establish the Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City, the Central Exchange, and the Women’s Employment Network. Dr. Talbott and her husband, Thomas Talbott, were committed to providing scholarships for outstanding UMKC students to aid in their pursuit of education. One such scholarship, which is still provided each academic year, is the Talbott Honors Program Scholarship, which offers recipients at least $1,000 to use towards their education expenses. Along with promoting education and women’s programs, Dr. Talbott had many opportunities to pursue philanthropic endeavors. She served as president of both The Clearinghouse for Midcontinent Foundations and The Center for Philanthropic Leadership. She used such roles, as well as her other pursuits, to provide excellent leadership in philanthropic work, especially for the elderly, women, and youth in communities. Dr. Talbott made an impact in more communities than just Kansas City, serving as a lecturer in various U.S. cities as well as cities around the world. Her lectures included a focus on philanthropy in the U.S., higher education in the U.S., and business relationships in higher education. She also participated in multiple conferences, including a presentation with Dr. Elizabeth Noble and Dr. Lisa G. Klein entitled, “Women in the Heart of America: Concerns, Needs, &amp; Priority Issues for the 1990s.” This presentation was given at the 1992 Women’s Issues Conference in the People’s Republic of China. With such a worldly influence, it comes as no surprise that Dr. Talbott served as Delegation Leader for the U.S. Delegation of Business and Professional Women to China. Along with philanthropy, Dr. Talbott was a successful businesswoman, earning a spot on the Kansas City Power &amp; Light Board of Directors. Even though this occurred in the 1980s, she was the first Kansas City woman on the board of a Fortune 1000 company.  Dr. Talbott received recognition for her leadership work from three U.S. presidents: President Carter, President Reagan, and President Clinton. On top of presidential recognition, she also received many awards throughout her life. In 1990, Dr. Talbott was the UMKC Alumna of the year, and the International Hall of Fame in Cambridge, England, inducted Dr. Talbott in 2011. In 2015 she supported her alma mater, by allotting $1 million of her estate to the UMKC Honors College. After a lifetime of philanthropic work and support for higher education and women’s development, Dr. Linda Hood Talbott passed away on December 24, 2020. Her spirit lives on through the organizations she helped to establish and the scholarships that bear her name.

Dr. Linda Hood Talbott was a philanthropic leader and advocate for women in Kansas City whose impact extended around the globe through her leadership in establishing the Women's Foundation of Greater Kansas City and the Women's Employment Network. In 1975, she established Talbott &amp; Associates, a philanthropic management organization that assists nonprofit organizations, foundations, and corporations. She received prestigious awards for her philanthropic service, forever preserving her contributions to society. As her life of service proves, Dr. Linda Hood Talbott is an excellent role model for aspiring philanthropists and women's advocates.

Dr. Linda Hood Talbott, Talbott & Associates

Mamie Currie Hughes was born on May 3, 1929, to James Samuel Currie, Sr., and Amy Ramsey. From a young age, she was hard-working and determined to achieve her dreams. She entered LaVilla Elementary School at the age of 4, beginning with 1st grade. While this caused her to be younger than most of her classmates, her age did not cause her struggles in school. Later in her school years, she would go to New York City to stay with her Aunt Sallie, but after several years of enduring her aunt’s strict rule, Mamie returned home in 1943. She then attended Stanton Senior High School in Jacksonville, Florida. During high school, she assisted the librarian at Stanton and volunteered at the Clara White Mission. This began her life of service. She graduated as salutatorian from Stanton High School on May 30, 1945. After high school, Mamie attended Fisk University, majoring in mathematics. While at the university, she worked in the registrar’s office and was an assistant in the mathematics department to help cover her tuition. She met her future husband, Leonard Hughes, in 1946 while they both attended Fisk University. After graduating in May of 1949, the two were married in September of that year. Mamie moved to Topeka with Leonard while he pursued his law degree and after his graduation, the couple moved to Kansas City to be nearer to Leonard’s family. In her first year in Kansas City, Mamie completed courses at Kansas City University, St. Teresa’s College, and classes at Metropolitan Community College culminating with a teaching certificate. During the 1951-1952 school year, she taught third grade at Crispus Attucks School. The next year, Leonard relocated the family to Mississippi to pursue a law career. Two-and-a-half years, later Mamie and Leonard returned to Kansas City and both participated in organizations to better the city.Mamie became deeply involved throughout the community and was a leading member of the local NAACP chapter along with other organizations that sought to improve conditions in Kansas City for the African American community. Such participation led to her involvement in the boycotts and protests against department stores and restaurants in the area, working towards better service for African Americans, which lasted for months. She continued to be involved in civil rights organizations and was made a member of the Panel of Americans in the 1950s and 1960s. The Panel served as a way to provide insight into the lives of varying citizens by presenting at high schools around the community. She also served as the first president of the Women of Freedom group. In the early 1970s, Mamie won a seat as the Democratic member on the Charter Jackson County Legislature. Her office was housed in the Kansas City Courthouse. In 1976, she was appointed Vice Chair of the Legislature. Additionally, she served on the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) from 1973 to 1978, acting as the 1st Vice Chair in 1976 and Chairman of the board in 1977. While already accomplished through the early years of the 1970s, Mamie gained additional accomplishments in 1978. During this year, she worked with a group of women to create The Central Exchange, a women’s club. In the same year, she was nominated by Senator Tom Eagleton for the Regional Director position with the Federal volunteer agency, ACTION. She was offered this position, serving the states of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. However, with a presidential change in 1980, the ACTION program also changed, and in 1981 Mamie was hired at the Black Economic Union as a Community Planner. In 1986, she was appointed the Ombudsman position for the South Midtown Roadway, meaning she worked in the Planning Division of the Department of Housing and Community Development in Kansas City. This allowed her the opportunity to assist with the shaping of the city. Such accomplishments and experiences are only a fraction of Mamie’s contributions to the city. Mamie was an active member in Kansas City society, both in government and association positions as well as volunteer positions, and each experience allowed her to make an impact on the community for improvements for housing as well as civil rights. Her expertise in community planning and community development allowed Mamie the opportunity to assist with the preservation and development of the 18th and Vine District. Her participation in such a vast array of organizations and associations, not to mention volunteer initiatives, demonstrated how Mamie was service-oriented and persistent, and the community improved because of her efforts. But, after a lifetime of achievements and praises, Mamie highlighted her most important achievement in her autobiography: <blockquote>"Being able to marry and start my own family has been my greatest and proudest accomplishment! Having them give back to me the love which I gave to them is divine!"3</blockquote>

This bridge was dedicated in honor of Mamie Currie Hughes, a long-time leader in Kansas City dating back to her work during the civil rights movement. Serving in leadership roles in multiple different organizations, associations, and boards allowed her the ability to enact change in the community. Her expertise in community planning and development provided her with a chance to assist with the development of the 18th and Vine District. Her numerous accomplishments throughout her life demonstrated her determination and service-oriented nature. On top of everything, Mamie held that her biggest accomplishment was being a mother of five children, and holds the love that she receives from her family as the greatest honor she has received.

Kansas City Missouri Women's Heritage Trail

Cockefair Hall, Carolyn Benton Cockefair

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information