Kansas City History

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...

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

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

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...