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Kansas African-American History Trail To Launch In Wichita

The official launch of the Kansas African-American History Trail will be held in Wichita this week.

Credit tkaamuseum.org

Eight sites across Kansas have been selected as charter members that depict black history, including an underground railroad passage and a cabin that once was the headquarters for abolitionist John Brown.

Ted Ayres serves as board director for The Kansas African American Museum and project coordinator for the grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. He says each site speaks volumes about African-American history.

"You can go and whether it’s 15 minutes or 30 minutes or an hour, two hours," he says, "you're going to be absorbed and learn a lot about our state and its role in American history and African American history."

Ayres says the official launch will provide more details about the trail concept and its purpose, as well as give information about each of the current sites along the trail — in Osawatomie, Topeka, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Nicodemus, Fort Scott and Wichita.

The launch event is at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday at The Kansas African American Museum in Wichita.

Carla Eckels is director of cultural diversity and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels. To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.

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Copyright 2019 KMUW | NPR for Wichita

Carla Eckels is Director of Cultural Diversity for News and Engagement at KMUW. She has been an award-winning announcer and news producer for KMUW since 1996. Carla also produces and hosts the R&B and gospel show Soulsationsthat airs Sundays at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. She annually emcees Gospelfest at the Wichita River Festival and was voted Best Disc Jockey by subscribers of The Community Voice. Prior to coming to KMUW, Carla was the local host for NPR’s Morning Editionat WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and co-hosted a nationally syndicated gospel radio show in Cincinnati. Carla was also program director for KIBN, the Inspirational Black Network in Wichita, hosted the Joyful Sounds gospel show on Q92-FM and produced the number one gospel radio show on KSJM 107.9 JAMZ from 2004 to 2007.