The Bruce R.
Watkins Cultural Center wants to help start conversations about race in Kansas City.
JUNE 26TH.LEARNING FROM THE PASTFOR A BETTER FUTURE.THAT'S THE LESSON THEHEAD OF THE BRUCE R.WATKINS CULTURALCENTER HOPES ISLEARNED AFTER WEEKSOF PROTEST CONDEMNINGRACIAL INJUSTICE.41 ACTION NEWS ANCHORBRYANT MADDRICK WENTTO THE CENTER TO LEARNMORE ABOUT THE ROLETHEY WANT TO PLAY INTHE CONVERSATION.INSIDE THE CENTER -YOU'LL FIND EXHIBITS ANDARTIFACTS THAT TELL THESTORY OF POLITICAL ANDSOCIAL CHANGE FORBLACK PEOPLE IN KANSASCITY.THE MAN WHO OVERSEESTHE FACILITY HOPESTHOSE PIECES OFHISTORY INSPIRE A TOUGHCONVERSATION THAT ISOFTEN AVOIDED.VOON KANSAS CITY'SSTREETS - PROTESTERSMAKE A LOUD DEMAND FORCHANGE.VOTHE LAST TIMEDEMONSTRATIONS WERETHIS BIG WAS IN 1968.SOT:13:52-"Students wanted to be ableto stay home to watch DoctorKing's funeral service and theywanted the schools to beclosed that day and the citythe school district did notagree to do that."VOIN THIS PICTURE - THE MANLEADING THE MARCH ISBRUCE R.
WATKINS.TODAY THIS CULTURALCENTER BEARS THE NAMEOF THE LATE POLITICALAND SOCIAL ACTIVIST.GLENN NORTH IS THEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.SOT:13:18-13:26"Kansas City like just aboutevery other city in America hasdealt with issues of race, hasdealt with segregation."VOJUST LIKE IN 1968 - THEISSUES BOILING OVERINTO RIOTS MORE THANTWO WEEKS AGO.INSIDE THE CULTURALCENTER - THESE PICTURESTELL THE STORY OFSOCIAL AND POLITICALCHANGE FOR AFRICANAMERICANS IN KANSASCITY.NORTH HOPES IT INSPIRESA NEW CONVERSATION.SOT:22:47-"We want to provide anopportunity for the communityto come together, black andwhite.
People of allbackgrounds and nationalitiesto say what is it that we cando to change policy?
How canwe be more effective in thepolitical arena so thatwholesale change does takeplace and we don't have tokeep repeating this cycle."23:06VOBUT CAN SIGNIFICANTCHANGE HAPPEN?SOT:26:49-26:54"I think things will change andI think that is what's startingtohappen and I think that's whatmakes this moment different."THE CULTURAL CENTER ISCURRENTLY CLOSED.BUT THEY HOPE TOREOPEN TO THE PUBLICLATER THIS SUMMER TOGET THAT NEEDEDCONVERSATION STARTED.IN THE NEWSROOM - I'MBRYANT M
Saturday afternoon, the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center in Ocean Springs joined with 100 Women DBA and the Walter Anderson..
