February 7, 2023
Winter Issue of Kansas History now available
The K-State history department and the Kansas Historical Foundation recently released the Winter 2022-2023 issue of the Kansas History journal.
The issue includes articles on Jim Crow and racial exclusion in rural Kansas, the first car washes constructed in Wichita and the annual report about the National and State Register of Historic Places nominations.
"Sundown in the Sunflower State: African American Exclusion in Rural Kansas," by Daniel Jantz, explores the mix of formal and informal strategies used to control the racial population in Kansas. Tracing the discussion via local newspapers reveals a window into how rural communities explained their exclusion of African Americans and the pervasiveness of these "sundown towns."
"'Join the Parade to the Future:' Automatic Car Washes in Wichita, 1920-1970," by Rami Stucky, theorizes the social symbology of car washes as the way of the future and their relationship to Cold War American hegemony. Advertisements in Wichita newspapers displayed the futuristic image of these technological marvels, but the growth of the car wash industry also reflected the challenges of changing urban environments.
"National and State Register of Historic Places Nominations in 2022," by Jamee Fiore and Haylee Rose, introduces new additions to the registers and explains the expanding scope of the list to include underrepresented groups. It also includes assistance for those conducting their own research.
The issue also includes an index for the entire volume, book reviews of scholarship on Kansas and/or the West and short book notes of other relevant titles.
To learn more about the journal or to subscribe, visit the website. Subscriptions can be purchased by clicking on the seal toward the bottom of the page. Kansas History is a peer-reviewed, quarterly journal that publishes scholarly articles, edited documents and other materials that contribute to an understanding of the history and cultural heritage of Kansas and the Central Plains. The publication is headquartered in Calvin Hall.