Smart Talks. Cold Drinks.
Presenting THINK & DRINK – where the curious gather. This ongoing lecture series delivers a wide array of topics that generate fresh perspectives, ideas, and discussion. These community-driven events are powered by a collaboration between UMKC, Linda Hall Library, The Third Place Historian, and Casual Animal Brewing Company.
Your RSVP is appreciated to help us preset the room and accommodate as many seats as possible for interested attendees. You will also receive at least 1 reminder email about the event when you RSVP.
FEBRUARY 19:
BLACK KANSAS CITY: BEFORE THE MONARCHS
speaker:
Speaker: Dr. David Trowbridge, William T. Kemper Associate Research Professor of Digital and Public Humanities
Long before Kansas City became synonymous with jazz and innovation, African American leaders, artists, entrepreneurs, and educators were building institutions that shaped the city’s identity—and influenced the nation. This talk explores the people and places that defined Black Kansas City from the arrival of Exodusters through the Roaring ’20s, revealing stories of resilience, creativity, and civic leadership. Along the way, we’ll uncover surprising moments—like a racially integrated barnstorming baseball team that predated the Monarchs—and consider what this history still teaches us about community, opportunity, and change today.
Speaker Bio: Dr. David Trowbridge (Ph.D. Kansas, 2008) is the William T. Kemper Associate Research Professor of Digital and Public Humanities at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Trowbridge is the former Director of African and African American History at Marshall University and specializes in 19th and 20th century U.S. History. As part of his research and teaching, Trowbridge uses technology to connect people to history. As part of that effort, Trowbridge authored A History of the United States, a textbook published under a Creative Commons license and available to students and the public in various formats. In 2013, Trowbridge began work on Clio, a website and mobile application that connects people to nearby history and culture. Clio is free for everyone and has grown to include over 40,000 articles on individual landmarks and over 1,700 walking tours and virtual tours of museums and historic sites.
