Prairie Journal

We kick of another year of Kansas Notable Books with Hell's Half Acre, the story of the infamous Bender family murders of southeast Kansas.

It's a visit to the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison, Kansas, and a conversation with its founder Karen Seaberg.

In connection with the opening of the new Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, we revisit this conversation with Amelia Earhart, brought to life by historical performer Ann Birney.

We remember Joyce Thierer of Admire, with an encore broadcast in character as Calamity Jane. Dr. Thierer passed away last month at the age of 73.

Last month, Jefferson County agreed to pay Floyd Bledsoe $7.5 million after he served 16 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Justin Wingerter tells the story of the investigation and wrongful conviction in Four Shots in Oskie.

The shocking story of how Kansas detained thousands of women between WWI and WWII. It's a conversation with Nicole Perry, author of Policing Sex in the Sunflower State: The Story of Kansas State Industrial Farm for Women.

From your arrival to departure and all the conversation in between, Taylor Kay Phillips has you covered in A Guide to Midwestern Conversation.

Becky Blades is an artist, "STartist," entrepreneur, and author of Start More Than You Can Finish: A Creative Permission Slip to Unleash Your Best Ideas.

We remember the late singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte and his 2014 Black History Month address at Kansas State University. This audio is not available on demand.

We celebrate National Poetry Month and Independent Bookstore Day with Danny Caine, author of Picture Window and co-owner of The Raven Bookstore.

We celebrate National Poetry Month with Cheryl Unruh of Emporia. Her latest collection is Gravedigger's Daughter: Vignettes from a Small Kansas Town.

We celebrate National Poetry Month with Megan Kaminski, co-author of Quietly Between.

We explore the 200th anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail with Sandy Carlson, managing editor of the Symphony in the Flint Hills' Field Journal.

What's new as the Dole Institute of Politics marks its 20th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of Bob Dole's birth?

The surprising role that wheat has played in shaping world history, from ancient Rome to Ukraine today. Scott Reynolds Nelson is the author of Oceans of Grain: How American Wheat Remade the World.

The unlikely soldier behind the hunt for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Eric Maddox is the author of Capturing Saddam and Mission Blacklist #1.

All Things Considered host and Kansas City native Juana Summers joins Dole Institute of Politics director Audrey Coleman for the 2023 Journalism and Politics Lecture. The February 21st event was part of KPR's year-long celebration of our 70th anniversary.

Disability rights activist Judith Heumann passed away this month at the age of 75. This week on KPR Presents, it's a special encore broadcast of our 2020 conversation.

Our Kansas Notable Books series continues with White Hot Hate: A True Story of Domestic Terrorism in America's Heartland. Dick Lehr is the author of White Hot Hate, which details the 2016 bomb plot against Somali immigrants in Garden City.

Former Kansas Poet Laureate Eric McHenry joins us to talk about Langston Hughes, digital archive research, and the legend of Stagger Lee.

We celebrate Black History Month on this week's KPR Presents as Dr. Randall Jelks joins us to talk about his book, Letters to Martin: Meditations on Democracy in Black America.

Our Kansas Notable Book series continues with Kate McIntyre, author of Mad Prairie.

Best-selling author KJ Dell'Antonia joins us to talk about her two latest books, The Chicken Sisters and In Her Boots.

We celebrate Kansas Day and preview the spring line-up at the Dole Institute of Politics with Director Audrey Coleman.

Meet the new poet laureate of Kansas, Traci Brimhall.