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Dividing Lines Tour Shares Vital KC History with the World
For several years, Johnson County Library has offered an audio driving app called the “Dividing Lines Tour.” It highlights the history of segregation in Kansas City and sheds light on the governmental policies and individual actions which decimated Black neighborhoods all over the United States.
The downloadable audio tour takes participants from Shawnee Mission East High in Johnson County to Kansas City’s urban core. Thousands of local students and residents have traveled that journey for a revealing visual history lesson.
Now, the Library is offering a virtual version that can be experienced by anyone online. It not only explains the past but illuminates the present.
It is the story of how residential segregation and the racial wealth gap didn’t just happen but resulted from real estate practices and discriminatory government policies, pioneered in Kansas City and Johnson County, and replicated throughout the United States.
“The story of our city is a mirror to the stories of every other major city,” said Johnson County Library Youth Services Manager Angel Tucker, who helped spearhead the Dividing Lines tour. “It helps us understand stark inequities and why our neighborhoods look the way they do.”
The narrative reveals the national influence of Kansas City real estate magnate J.C. Nichols, who championed racially restrictive housing covenants that excluded Blacks. The video explores block busting abuses, redlining loan maps, and heroic struggles for equality, through the eloquent voices of lawyer/activist Sidney Willens and neighborhood advocates Mamie Hughes and Margaret May. It shares student perspectives from both Shawnee Mission East and Central High in Kansas City.
This information often isn’t in history books and is a revelation for most people, Tucker said. “It reveals a history that connects to our present,” she said. “If we can all unpack this history, maybe other cities can as well.”
Johnson County Library first offered student bus tours for its Race Project KC program, explaining landmarks along the way. Church and community groups sought out the experience, leading the Library to create the audio driving app. Local History Librarian Amanda Wahlmeier and Civic Engagement Librarian Ashley Fick provided crucial research.
The Library partnered with Christopher Cook and Nathaniel Bozarth, longtime partners on social justice multimedia projects at Brainroot Light & Sound. Cook served as writer/producer and videographer. Bozarth was a writer/producer and also narrated.
The driving app was highly praised locally, but when the COVID shutdowns began in March 2020, it galvanized the Library to create an online video version.
“When the pandemic hit, we knew we were not going to be able to put students on buses,” Tucker recalled. “We went to Chris and Nathaniel and asked, can we create a virtual experience that captures this online?” That’s just what happened.
The virtual program consists of three 30-minute segments, and has already had several thousand views. It includes archival documents and news updates not in the original driving tour.
Cook and Bozarth said this ongoing collaboration with the Library has been hugely rewarding.
“With Nathaniel and I having such an interest in social justice story-telling, it felt like an artistic commission more than just a standard client,” Cook said. “We feel a lot of personal pride and creative ownership in it.”
Bozarth agreed. “For me as a creative and as someone engaged in anti-racism activities, the story of Kansas City is representative of stories like it all over the county,” he said. “Taking this local tour, presenting it in a way that can be consumed by people all over the country held enormous hope for me. It’s for a much larger audience, applicable anywhere.”
Arthur Jensen of the Art-Jen Farm in Olathe displaying his Holstein, the first prize winner at the Holstein Parish Show in Paola. 1956.
Acclaimed Archives
It’s another grand Throwback Thursday when we encourage you to time travel through Johnson County's history. JoCoHistory is a collaborative presentation of the history from the Johnson County Museum, Johnson County Library and many JoCoHistory partners. Explore historical photographs and documents about the people, places and organizations of Johnson County, Kansas, from the 19th century to the present.
Collection spotlight: Johnson County Archives
About this collection: Largely images from annual reports produced by Johnson County staff over the first half of the twentieth century, most notably the County Agricultural Agent and the Home Demonstration Agent. Numerous activities of those two offices are depicted, including programs with area farmers, homemakers and 4-H clubs.
June Podcast Episode – Oceans of Possibilities!
June – Oceans of Possibilities!
This kid-friendly family episode explores Summer Reading 2022 in the most fun way possible. We interviewed snow cone-loving Narwhals, a starfish who knows he’s a star, a euphoric crab who’s not crabby at all, a jellyfish who loves peanut butter and many more aquatic creatures to get book recommendations and hear about their favorite parts of summer reading. If you’re not careful, you might just learn something about these citizens of the sea. We hope you enjoy these aquatic antics!
Check out all of the book recommendations mentioned in this episode.
Summer Reading 2022: Oceans of Possibilities
Summer Reading 2022: Oceans of Possibilities, runs Saturday, June 4-Friday, July 29. Grab your reading log and all the details here!
Summer Reading is an initiative that aims to promote reading and literacy to children, teens and adults. Each summer, Johnson County Library offers events and contests connected to the Summer Reading theme! Check out the FAQ below for more details.
NEW! Summer Reading Contests are open!
Oceans of Possibilities Youth Sticker Contest:
Submit your entries for our Youth Sticker Design Contest, open to youth 12 and under. This summer we are looking for sticker illustrations with an “Oceans of Possibilities” theme. Winners will be selected by Library staff in multiple age categories, and the top designs will receive a 500-sticker print run for distribution at local branches. Winners will receive 20 copies of their own stickers to share with friends. Submissions will be accepted June 6 through July 6. Enter your sticker design »
Oceans of Possibilities Youth Poetry Contest:
Calling all youth writers: submit your original short story in verse based on the theme “Oceans of Possibilities.” Winning writers will receive a prize and their work will appear on the Library’s website for all to enjoy. Open to writers entering 3rd through 12th grade this fall. One submission per writer, please. Submissions will be accepted June 6 through July 6. Enter your short story in verse »
See all the other Summer Reading events »
Get started with some Summer Reading book recommendations »
Summer Reading 2022: Oceans of Possibilities
"Juneteenth at JCAHC" graphic above was designed by Kansas City artist Emily Alvarez.
Celebrate Juneteenth
Join the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center for their Juneteenth celebration!
Juneteenth »
Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center
8788 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66212
Cost: free
The Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center is launching its first-ever Juneteenth commemoration and celebration on Saturday, June 11. This family-friendly event, built with community partners, provides an opportunity to honor the history and celebrate Juneteenth with art, music, food, and more!
This Week at the Library
This week at the Library, you can join us at:
Library OnDemand – Available anytime you like.
Your doorway into live and archived programs. Arts & Culture, Career & Finance, Community Matters, Writers and more!
Oceans of Possibilities Youth Poetry Contest – June 6 – July 6, All Day
Calling all youth writers: submit your original short story in verse based on the theme “Oceans of Possibilities.” Winning writers will receive a prize and their work will appear on the Library’s website for all to enjoy. Open to writers entering 3rd through 12th grade this fall. One submission per writer, please.
Oceans of Possibilities Youth Sticker Contest – June 6- July 7, All Day
Submit your entries for our Youth Sticker Design Contest, open to youth 12 and under. This summer we are looking for sticker illustrations with an “Oceans of Possibilities” theme. Winners will be selected by Library staff in multiple age categories, and the top designs will receive a 500-sticker print run for distribution at local branches. Winners will receive 20 copies of their own stickers to share with friends.
Citizen Civics – Tuesday, June 7, 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Pass the U.S. naturalization interview and citizenship exam with help from the Library. Our free online classes provide two levels of coursework focused on the English language, American history, and civics knowledge. Assistance with the citizenship application (N400) is also available. Participants review citizenship study materials, practice listening and responding to citizenship interview questions, access online practice tests and receive guidance throughout the application process. Register for first class date only.
Personal Branding and Networking – Tuesday, June 7, 11 a.m. – noon
How do you present yourself? Join an ICG Professional Certified Coach as she talks about personal development, networking strategies, and ways to best highlight the qualities that make you an excellent employee and coworker.
Juneteenth Walk and Read – June 11, All Day
Johnson County Library will be posting a Walk and Read in honor of Juneteenth at the Johnson County Museum. The stories posted for this special event will be “Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free” by Alice Faye Duncan and “Change Sings” by Amanda Gorman.
Summer Reading 2022 Highlights: Vibrant Events, Online and In Person
Johnson County Library is gearing up for a 2022 Summer Reading season to captivate children and families. It will offer vibrant events online and in person, using pandemic-era innovations but also providing some return to normalcy as COVID wanes.
“We’ve been through two years where we have had to pivot, and through that we have grown,” said Elementary Coordinating Librarian Melanie Fuemmeler. “We have grown close as a leadership team and have proven to ourselves and hopefully to the community that we’re ready to engage with them in any way they are comfortable. We feel really great about what we have to offer this summer.”
More than 10,000 books have already been distributed this spring to readers of all ages and ability levels by Johnson County schools and community partners. This continues a vital outreach that began during the pandemic, benefiting families that might not access the Libraries.
Library staffers are also eager to offer the book distribution in all branches June 1 through June 30. Thousands of free books will be given out, helping families build their home libraries and sustain a love of reading. “We curate titles around inclusivity and diversity,” Fuemmeler said. “We want every child to be able to see themselves in a book.”
Teen volunteers will once again be engaged in person, particularly with the book distribution. “It’s always a time of the year where all Library staff, not just youth services, say there’s joy and great positive interaction,” commented Monticello Youth Librarian Jennifer Reeves. “That’s what makes summer reading so special, to have these memorable and unique experiences with families that are positive and long lasting.”
This summer’s theme is “Oceans of Possibilities,” which conjures up all sorts of opportunities to explore fantastic sea creatures, nature and science.
“Summer Reading is synonymous with pools and swimming and splashing,” Fuemmeler said. “We’re having a great deal of fun with this particular theme.”
More information about summer reading programming is available on the Library's website.
The official kickoff is June 4, featuring an online presentation by Ben Clanton, best-selling author/illustrator of the Narwhal and Jelly children’s graphic novel series.
“Ben is a storyteller and illustrator extraordinaire.” Fuemmeler said. “He is going to deliver something for all ages and all interests.”
The morning begins with an online, interactive Storytime with ocean-themed picture books, movement, rhymes and fun.
Other virtual programming includes a Juneteenth Special Feature Storytime on June 15, celebrating African American heritage with the mother/son duo, Newberry & Caldecott Honor author Carole Boston Weatherford and poet and illustrator Jeffery Boston Weatherford. The Library will also offer a virtual Kansas City Zoo penguin encounter on June 21.
The youth sticker and poetry contests should be popular draws, with all entries submitted online and judged by teens, assisted by Library staff. More information will be on the Library’s contests page.
After July 4, the Library is excited to resume in-person programming at select branches for the first time since 2019. Events include Read to a Dog, Mad Science, and a Circus Variety Show.
The Summer Reading season culminates in late July in conjunction with Movies in the Park. The final celebration will be July 29 at Thompson Park, featuring a showing of “Finding Nemo.”
Fuemmeler and Reeves emphasize Summer Reading is for all ages, and 2022 feels like a great time to test the best models for both virtual and in-person programming.
As Fuemmeler explained, “It really is about family engagement, community engagement and Library engagement.”
We Love Patron Feedback!
We love to learn about our patrons! The questions in the survey below are designed to get you thinking about why you love Johnson County Library. Fill out as much as you like, and we may feature your profile in an upcoming newsletter, blog post or on our social media! By completing this survey, you agree to have your responses shared online »