18th and Vine, dubbed as Kansas City’s “Jazz District” in the 1920s, is the home of the American Jazz Museum and many live music clubs and restaurants like The Blue Room, The KC Blues Juke House and the Gem Theater. This area is also known for its predominantly African American community and history. It holds the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the Black Archives of Mid-America as main attractions in the district. 

As I made my way to the locations mentioned, my attention was drawn to four uniquely built structures. Below are my findings on these places and their histories.

Charlie Parker Memorial

Charlie “Bird” Parker started his career in jazz as a teenager in 1940s Kansas City. He played in many of the clubs at 18th and Vine. Nearly a decade later, Parker is considered among the most influential jazz musicians of all time. Standing 18 feet tall, this statue was built to memorialize Parker as he often held himself: “head tilted downward, eyes shut, and lips pursed as if he were playing the saxophone,” as The Clio wrote.

Kansas City’s The Call

Kansas City’s The Call, founded in 1919 by Chester A. Franklin, is a weekly newspaper that actively supports the local and national African American communities. Still publishing a new issue every Friday, this newspaper was one of the first Black newspapers in the United States, as stated by The Clio, and it eventually spread to other states in the Midwest. (Photos 2 and 3 from the African American Heritage Trail of Kansas City website.) 

Gem Theater

Originally called the Star Theater in 1912, The Clio writes, the Gem Theater was a place specifically for African Americans to see films during a time of deep segregation. After falling into disrepair in the 1960s, the theater was renovated to become a venue for live performances. (Photos 2 and 3 from the African American Heritage Trail of Kansas City website.) 

The Vine Street Workhouse

Built in 1897 by the prisoners of the workhouse, this castle-like structure was used as a city jail. According to the African American Heritage Trail of Kansas City, the men housed at the “workhouse castle” worked for the city, while the women worked as seamstresses. After the jail was closed in 1924, the workhouse was repurposed several times until it was finally abandoned in 1972. The “castle” still remains untouched– besides the graffiti and overgrown vegetation.

We took advantage of our free day to go to Kansas City and explore. Without money or time restrictions, we’ve compiled a list that we think will help you explore the city. 

Morning: We hope you guys also sleep in because we did. Our day starts at 10 a.m.

Our first stop was the River Market. A hot coffee from Thou Mayest was a great start for a long day ahead. I recommend a honey lavender latte. This place is also ideal for cute pictures. After that, we walked to River Market Antiques closeby. I have no pictures of the store because everything in there was so interesting that I didn’t even think about my phone. It was a little bit pricey but it is worth it to at least walk around and look at all the old stuff. Before taking the streetcar, we stopped by Dutch Flowers. They have everything you need for a garden, tiny plants for your dorm room, cute notebooks and decorations.

Our next stop was Union Station. We took the streetcar there. Except for the train museum, there is not a lot in there if you are not willing to pay. But if we did have money, I would go to Science City. Sadly, we had a limited budget.

Our last stop in the morning was the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. I spent almost three hours there. If I had more time, I would go visit the World War I Museum. I visited it at the beginning of school. I felt really sad after, but I think it was a good lesson to value the peaceful time we are having right now.

Night: After the Nelson Atkins, we stopped at Gocha 2 in West Port for boba tea. The tea shop is so cute that we took pictures while we waited for our tea.

After getting boba, we drove around the Power and Light District and played music with the windows down. The Power and Light is a quintessential city experience with its tall skyscrapers and beautiful lights. We drove around the T-Mobile Center and talked about how much we miss concerts and what concerts we will go to when COVID-19 is finally over.

We ended our night by visiting 18^th and Vine and all the jazz bars. The Jazz District is an important part of Kansas City as one of the major jazz cities in America. We didn’t have time to do it all in one day, but the Jazz Museum is definitely something to add to your list of things to do in Kansas City. We walked up and down 18^th and Vine and took pictures of the lights. 18^th and Vine is also home to one of the KC Black Lives Matter road murals.

If you are ever feeling bored or wanting a day away from studying and classes, going to the city can be a great experience full of opportunities for you and your friends. It may be hard to think of things to spend your time with, but our day of exploring will hopefully inspire you to explore the city yourself and take lots of pictures.