Kansas history

A new book by the author and historian Caleb Gayle tells the story of Edward McCabe, one of the leaders of Nicodemus, a Kansas town founded by the formerly enslaved.

Sure, it's hot. But things were a lot worse 151 years ago. Not only was there no air conditioning, but in 1874, Kansas was under attack - from giant swarms of grasshoppers. The swarms were so large they blocked out the sun.

The pledge from David Booth, a KU alumnus, was one of the biggest single donations in the history of college athletics. The money is intended to help build a Gateway District next to the new Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Dozens of rare and historic Civil War battle flags stored at the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka are falling apart and in desperate need of restoration. But repairing just a single flag can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Uniting more than 200 sites across eastern Kansas and western Missouri, Freedom's Frontier preserves the story of the border war and the settlement of the western frontier. But the Trump administration has blocked funding for National Heritage Areas.

In "The Psychology of Liberty: Reclaiming Everyday Freedom," University of Kansas professor Dr. Barbara Kerr defines freedom as having the time to play, gossip and create in community — all activities our ancient ancestors prioritized.

Ninety years this week, Oklahomans were met with a large wall of rolling black dust and sand, a day now known as "Black Sunday."

The Swedish painter shaped how the rest of the world viewed the hills and streams of Kansas, and the mountains of Colorado. The largest collection of his paintings, prints, and drawings is in the small central Kansas town where he immigrated, lived and worked.

Kansas artists and cultural organizations would be stripped of state grants if the Kansas Legislature adopts a Senate-approved budget, which entirely eliminates funding the Kansas Arts Commission. The impact would be felt even harder in smaller and rural communities.

Sometimes the little places you pass every day hold much more significance than you realize. That's the case for a Stafford County, Kansas cemetery that holds the graves of some of Kansas' early Black residents.