Civil Rights in Kansas
The history of civil rights in the state of Kansas from Reconstruction to the 1960s.
The Civil Rights Era shaped the cultural environment that we live in today, and Kansas plays a very unique role in the process. From starting out as a border state, torn between two sides of the divisive issue that split a nation in half, to becoming a haven for newly freed African Americans when the war ended. The Reconstruction Era proved to be long and often difficult for Kansas citizens, once torn apart by conflict. Now that slavery was abolished, there was an issue of equality and fairness that now existed. The aftermath of the Civil War created the motions for the Civil Rights Movement, a monumental effort in creating equality regardless of skin color and background.
The Civil Rights Movement has a strong presence in Kansas that spans decades of history. From the opposition of the Ku Klux Klan to the youth activists who fought for equality, there are dozens of untold stories rooted in conflict – the aftermath of a long and drawn out war. By exploring the past, we have the opportunity to see where we are now, and where we are going in the future. There is more than one side to every story, and multiple stories to tell.