Brian Burnes
Freelance Writer
Stories by Brian Burnes
Fairfax: An Enduring Legacy of Kansas City’s Industrial Might
The Fairfax Industrial District, a cornerstone of the Kansas City economy, is preparing to mark its centennial in 2022.
Muhammad Ali’s Brief Encounter With KC’s Rich Boxing Legacy
Muhammad Ali transfixed millions with his boxing, his braggadocio and, ultimately, his bravery in speaking out on the social issues of his time.
Once-Segregated Cemetery Gets Memorial for Hundreds of People in Unmarked Graves
The Liberty African American Legacy Memorial seeks to memorialize 758 people interred – most of them in unmarked graves – in the once-segregated section of what is now Fairview and New Hope Cemetery in Liberty.
Grappling With Dark Agonies Amid Natural Beauty During Missouri’s Bicentennial
As Missouri observes its bicentennial, organizers are grappling with a history defined both by natural beauty and the fight over slavery.
Take a Peek Inside the Re-imagined Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
On Friday, July 2, Harry S. Truman Library & Museum officials will reopen the Independence institution after a nearly two-year shutdown for a $29 million makeover.
Harry Truman and the Holocaust
As the 33rd president, Harry Truman drew upon a lifetime of relationships with Jewish friends as he weighed his actions in response to the Holocaust.
Tracing Kansas City’s Ties to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre sent ripples that could be felt in Kansas City. Flatland explores the sometimes surprising local links to arguably the most serious, yet little known, race crime in U.S. history.
Signing Off: Demolition of Old Radio Station Triggers Nostalgia in Westwood
In Westwood, Kansas, demolition of an old radio station has triggered a wave of nostalgia.
Ernest Hemingway: PBS Documentary Grapples With Both Man and Myth
A new PBS documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick passes through Kansas City on its way around the world to tell the sweeping story of Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway.
Recalling ‘Cactus’ Jack Call, the Man Patsy Cline Came to KC to Honor
Few people remember the story of "Cactus" Jack Call, the Kansas City disc jockey whose death prompted the tribute show that proved to be Patsy Cline's last.