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Kansas City History In A Vending Machine, And The 'Right' Way To Remember Amelia Earhart

Harris & Ewing
/
U.S. Library of Congress
"Had it not been for the unsolved mystery of her disappearance," says women's history scholar Susan Ware, "we would remember Amelia Earhart for that 1932 trans-Atlantic flight." Earhart was the first female to make that flight.

People generally get their history lessons from a book or movie, not from a vending machine. Today, we learn about a novel way to put historical photos of Kansas City into the hands of City Market Park visitors. Then, Amelia Earhart's mysterious disappearance is what gets people's attention these days, but are we in danger forgetting her legacy of breaking aviation boundaries and encouraging women to follow their dreams?

Chris Dahlquist's 'History Vendor' installations can be found in City Market Park through mid-October. For more information, visit HistoryVendor.com.

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.