Local History Authors Nonfiction Showcase  | National Frontier Trails Museum
Channel: City of Independence, Missouri
Date: 2023-01-11

FREE, monthly history-related programs conducted at:
National Frontier Trails Museum, 318 W Pacific, Independence, Mo.

Feel free to bring your own bag lunch or snack to enjoy during the presentation. Coffee, ice tea and/or ice water are provided. Space is limited. Call 816-325-7575 for information, or to book a future date if you are a non-fiction, local history author. Presentations in this series explore Independence, Kansas City, and Jackson County, Missouri, history researched and written by local authors, historians, and preservationists. In many cases, books will be available for purchase.

February 11
To kick of our special programming, and to highlight African American Heritage Month, local author David W. Jackson shares the story of one Black ancestor born into slavery who then migrated to Westport before his death in 1931. This presentation is informational and inspirational to anyone interested in beginning genealogy and integrating it into local, community, history…with a focus for African American audience members. Book: Born a Slave: Rediscovering Arthur Jackson’s African American Heritage.

March 11 
Women’s History Month in March tells the story of Independence, Kansas City and Jackson County…from the perspectives of local WOMENS in “HERstory.” Local author and historian, David W. Jackson returns to identify local who are just beginning to get their due places in local history annals. Jackson will use as his guiding light the late local historic preservationist Jane Fifield Flynn’s groundbreaking book, Kansas City Women of Independent Minds.

April 8 
LOCK DOWN! Local author and historian David W. Jackson returns to unlock some little- known history of the oldest building on Independence Square, the 1859 Jail, Marshal’s Home and Museum (unless you count the 1836 Courthouse entombed in the current structure on the
Square…the topic of a future lecture). Bring a key (and 10 bucks?) to unlock your personal
copy of the Jackson’s book, LOCK DOWN: Outlaws, Lawmen and Frontier Justice in Jackson County, Missouri, available as a souvenir from the Jackson County (Mo.) Historical Society.

May 13 
Direct Your Letters to San Jose. For Historic Preservation Month we travel West in a covered wagon since May was the month when, each Spring, pioneers would “jump off” leaving Independence for all points west. Local preservationist David W. Jackson shares a vivid presentation about the motivations, the journey, and how letters and diaries are preserved here in Independence! Jackson will use as his guide one of his 40+local history books, Direct Your Letters to San Jose: The California Gold Rush Letters and Diary of James and David Lee Campbell.