National Archives – Kansas City Defender

Burning Books: Missouri GOP Candidate Channels the KKK and Nazi Tactics in Ominous Promise

By Ryan S. ● Politics ● September 19, 2023

In a shocking move, far-right extremist and Missouri State Sen. Bill Eigel vows to engage in public book burnings, a tactic synonymous with hate groups like the KKK and authoritarian regimes. Eigel’s campaign marks a disturbing escalation in a state already known as a breeding ground for extremist ideologies.

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America’s First Black-Owned Hard Seltzer is From Kansas City, & the Founders Just Got a $3 Million Investment From a Former Chiefs Player

By Ryan S. ● Black Business ● September 6, 2023

Discover how Kansas City-based Kin Seltzer, America’s first-ever Black-owned hard seltzer brand, has secured a pivotal $3 million investment from former Chiefs player Dezman Moses, underlining a period of booming Black entrepreneurship in Missouri’s beverage sector

Pro-Slavery Propaganda, AP Psych Banning, Supreme Court Rulings: Where can intersectionality Take Us?

By Breanna Bonner ● Opinion ● September 1, 2023

As the Federal and Local courts continue to strike down freedoms with the approval of the State Legislature, it is essential that both our movements and our outrage are intersectional.

Hip Hop 50: Ten Films that Tell the Story

By Bryon Williams ● Arts & Culture ● August 11, 2023

Hip Hop demands from us an examination of culture, what we accept, and what we ignore. Let’s take a stroll through film history and look at ten films that tell that story.

Part II: Obstacles to Successfully Pursuing Higher Education Inside Men’s Prisons in California

By James Anderson ● National ● August 2, 2023

This piece is part of a three-part investigation into higher education inside men’s prisons in California. This second installment documents the many barriers incarcerated men encounter in pursuing and excelling in collegiate scholarship.

New Victim In KC “Serial Killer” Case Found In Missouri River, Clay County Prosecutor Admits Greater Public Safety Threat Than Initially Stated

By KC Defender Staff ● Justice ● August 1, 2023

After dismissing concerns over missing Black women, Kansas City now grapples with the chilling discovery of Jaynie Crosdale’s body, further validating the specter of a “serial killer” or an accomplice still at large. The tragic outcome contradicts the official police narrative, driving urgent demands for transparency and accountability in the handling of a botched high-profile case that has failed so many.

SCOTUS Rules Affirmative Action May No Longer Be Used in College Admission–The Breakdown and a Mizzou Student Perspective

By Lauren Winston & Kayla Sydnor ● Education ● July 6, 2023

This ruling disrupts admissions processes that have been used to acknowledge barriers to quality education due to racial discrimination since the 1960s.

A License to Kill: Missouri Governor Expected to Pardon First Cop in Kansas City History Who Was Convicted for Murdering A Black Man

By KC Defender Staff ● Justice ● June 14, 2023

White supremacy flaunts its power as Missouri Governor is set to pardon Detective Eric DeValkenaere, the first cop in KC history convicted for murdering a Black person.

A Statement from The Defender on the Fascist Political Repression of Stop Cop City Organizers

By Ryan S. & Nasir Montalvo ● National ● May 31, 2023

We condemn the fascist attack on Atlanta Solidarity Fund members; and call to immediately release ATL comrades fighting against Cop City.

Part I: The Historical Context that Shaped Higher Education in California and Inside Golden State Prisons

By James Anderson ● National ● January 30, 2023

This piece is part of a three-part investigation into higher education inside men’s prisons in California. This first installment explores the interconnected history of higher education and incarceration in California, in addition to documenting movements and reforms that opened doors to greater access to post-secondary programs inside prisons while leaving a problem-filled system intact.