Collections

The 1968 Riot Collection includes over 200 powerful images of the riots in Kansas City after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. 

The Ahmad Alaadeen Collection was gifted to LaBudde Special Collections and Marr Sound Archives, by his widow, Victoria “Fanny” Dunfee, in February...

This collection features photographs from 1961 to 1976, that chronicle Bell’s theatrical and music agency America’s Best Attractions (ABA), situated...

This collection relates to KMBC radio and television stations in Kansas City and its owner and operator, Arthur B. Church, dating primarily between...

The Missakian Collection was donated by Nadine Missakian, widow of Baron Siroon Missakian. This collection serves as historical documentation of Laugh...

Betty Crow was a board member of the Mutual Musicians Foundation captured Kansas City's jazz scene primarily during the 1990s.

This collection focuses on the time that Bettye Miller and Milt Abel spent together as musicians, and as husband and wife. The couple was nationally...

The Brian Thurn collection is comprised of photographs of objects and memorabilia that reflect aspects of the African-American cultural experience...

This not-for-profit hospital was founded in Kansas City in 1897 by two sisters, Alice Berry Graham and Katherine Richardson to serve the poor and ill...

Claude "Fiddler" Williams (22 February 1908 - 25 April 2004), violinist and guitarist, was born Claude Gabriel Williams in Muskogee, Oklahoma...

This collection features numerous publicity and promotional shots issued by Capitol Records, and is especially valuable for the research of the early...

The Dennis Giangreco Westport Trucker Collection includes a comprehensive run of the underground newspaper The Westport Trucker, published in Kansas...

The Dolores Hobley Collection was formed by various purchases from her business at Waldo Antiques of Kansas City. The collection consists of...

Don Tiff was born September 7, 1910, and was a pianist, composer and arranger who performed in the orchestras of Jan Garber, Raymond Scott and others...

Tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and financial planner, Ed Dix was born in Kansas City on May 5, 1929. This collection provides an invaluable...

This collection consists of 866 images captured by Kansas City-based blues and jazz photographer, Evie Quarles. Quarles provided annotations for the...

This collection spans from 1978 to 2012, with the majority of materials concentrated between 1987 and 1991, highlighting the Gay and Lesbian Alliance...

The Lavender Ladies Collection features images from activities that took place at the Lavender Umbrella. In the late 1980s, the Lavender Umbrella...

The Lesbian and Gay Community Center of Kansas City (LGCCKC) was organized in 1993 and lasted through 2010. The Collection features a wide range of...

Linda Wilson was long affiliated with Willow Productions, a company that produced a variety of community-oriented music and other entertainment events...

Comprised of 119 photographs scanned from 35mm slides, this collection portrays many rare solo and group portraits of club-goers and drag queens in...

With 49 images scanned from 35mm slides, this collection features images of queer nightlife in Kansas City, from 1959-1967. Clubs featured include the...

This collection features publicity photos of live performances by the many performers who played at this iconic Kansas City venue. Led by Roger Naber...

Helen Xarhis-DePasco was born July 29, 1921, the third of six siblings of Johnny and Nina Xarhis. The photographs are related to the World War II-era...

John E. Lynn worked for the Kansas City offices of the Chicago, Burlington, and Qunicy Railroad for over 40 years. He was an avid collector of...

Businessman and humanitarian Jacob Loose and his philanthropist wife Ella were frequent travelers.  The collection is comprised of images from their...

The Jay McShann Collection was gifted to the LaBudde Special Collections Department by the McShann Family in July 2009, and contains items spanning...

This collection documents the personal and professional lives of blues musicians and married couple Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham. Also highlighted is...

The Joseph K. Redmond Collection is rich in images reflecting Kansas City’s theatrical legacy. Redmond was a theatre manager for the Uptown and Tower...

As the first city manager in Kansas City, L. P. Cookingham had significant influence on the city in the mid-20th century. The collection contains a...

This collection features photographs from the personal archive of African-American police detective, political leader from Kansas City, and trainer of...

The Lesbian and Gay Community Center of Kansas City (LGCCKC) scrapbook was gifted to the LaBudde Special Collections in February 2010 by Dan Melton...

This small collection features images of one of Kansas City’s most prominent Black civil rights leaders and longtime editor of The Call newspaper.

This collection features photographs of activities and events from the local chapter of the Mexican American Women’s National Association.

Starr was a lifelong advocate of family, children’s and women’s issues. She spearheaded a number of significant initiatives around those topics, many...

The McLean Family Collection was acquired in April 2009 as a gift from Martha McLean Simpson, daughter of Minnie and Lawrence McLean. The collection...

This collection features photographs from the personal archive of the late UMKC alumnus and English professor Patricia Huyett, from Lenexa, Kansas.

Paul Creston was a mid-20th century American classical music composer known for his works that featured unexpected combinations of instrumentation...

This collection consists of photographs related to the entertainment complex formerly at Linwood and Main in Kansas City, Missouri. Included are...

Bowman was a gifted, Kansas City-born jazz and rhythm-and-blues singer. Photographs include publicity, performance, and personal shots of Bowman...

Early 20th century lumber baron and Kansas City civil leader R. A. Long had a country home in what was a rural area southeast of Kansas City, Missouri...

Richard W. Bolling was U.S. Congressman from 5th District of Missouri, which covers Kansas City, and served from 1949 to 1983. Photographs in his...

Barrett was a long-time commercial and art photographer in Kansas City. This sample of his work features over 300 aerial views and late 20th century...

Ted Malone was a radio broadcaster who started his career at KMBC in Kansas City. He became well-known for his affable on-air personality and for...

Uriah S. Epperson was a leading Kansas City businessmen who made his fortune in the insurance industry. Photos in the collection include images of...

Damon ran an early recording studio in Kansas City, and the photographs in the collection feature images of that business.

This digital collection features hundreds of Victorian and vintage photographic prints, and dates from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century...

Having been in the broadcasting business for seven decades, Walt Bodine produced a wealth of resources for those researchers interested in the study...

Durrett was a big band leader, composer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Kansas City. Collection contains a series of musician headshots, musicians...

The Wilbur "Buck" Clayton Collection was donated to LaBudde Special Collections by Clayton's wife, Patricia. The collection, which spans from 1928 to...