GKCBHSG Black History Month Program: “Kansas City Kansas: Cultural Rhythms in Ragtime and Jazz”
On Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 1:00 pm, the Greater Kansas City Black History Study Group hosted its annual Black History Month Celebration at the Black Archives of Mid-America-1722 E. 17th Terrace-Kansas City, MO 64108. The featured guest speaker was Dr. Curtis V. Smith, a retired Professor and former Dean at Kansas City Kansas Community College (1992-2020).
His honors include the Wyandotte County Historical Society’s President’s Award, Wyandotte County Historian of the Year, and induction into the KCKCC Education Hall of Fame. Dr. Smith serves as a trustee for several regional arts and history organizations, including the Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors, and has published eleven articles and five books, including Kansas: Cultural Rhythms in Ragtime and Early Jazz, examining African American influence on American music history.
Dr. Smith’s presentation was dedicated to local Kansas City, Kansas historian, Mr. Chester Owens (deceased) who inspired his research into the musical history of Kansas City, Kansas, and the numerous individuals with K.C, KS roots whose contributions to American music in genres such as Ragtime, Jazz, and Gospel are largely unknown. Three of the first female music stars on Broadway and in movies hail from the Jackson Jubilee Singers at Western University. These are Eva Jessye, Etta Moten, and Nora Douglas Holt. All 3 worked with George Gershwin, becoming involved with performing or directing the choral music for the Broadway musical Porgy and Bess.
Whether delving into the history of the Cakewalk or the long list of jazz musicians with ties to the area, audience participants were engaged and enthusiastic, generating lots of questions for Dr. Smith. It was an information-packed afternoon.
