We spotlight Hazel Browne Williams – the first African-American professor at UKC (later UMKC)
Here are some of Dr. Browne-Williams’ accomplishments and areas of study in her own words – taken from her c.1970’s Curriculum Vitae:
And in 1977 she was awarded the UM System’s prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award:
Dr. Browne-Williams passed away in 1986 but she left a lasting legacy at UMKC and in the School of Education in particular.
The quest for parking on campus was a long-standing issue for students. Which makes it kind of funny to learn that for years the Administration had been ‘estimating’ the number of parking spaces available and when they finally did a survey discovering they had more parking than they thought they did!
Michener would go on to write many more best-selling novels and several of his books were turned into award-winning movies, musicals, and TV mini-series’.
In fact, Michener’s book mentioned in the announcement above, Tales of the South Pacific was the basis of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific.
Students used to take some of the serving trays from the Student Center cafeteria and use them as sleds when it snowed. In this picture from the late 1970’s or early 1980’s a group of female students have linked themselves together to sled down Cherry Street hill.
Some may not know that Cherry Hall was constructed as the first Residence Hall on campus. In the beginning it was a men only residence hall then need for a place for female students to live on campus caused the top floor of the building to be converted to a women’s hall. The women’s area was sectioned off behind locked doors in those early years and there were few co-ed spaces in the hall. The men, wishing to protest the lack of a co-ed lounge area, subsequently staged a rite of passage (that has thankfully passed away) in protest…. the “Panty Raid”….
Even in the past, students could get up to some hijinks that were sometimes a bit more exuberant than planned. For example, this article from the December 18, 1952 issue of the U News…
(By the way, the green ink used to print this edition was in honor of the upcoming Christmas holiday).
Also, if you look closely at the photo below you can see the words “Turkey Hop” on the roof of the building as is mentioned in the article
Over the years UKC had more than its fair share of famous guests, visitors, and performers. Witness this front page of the U News from 1949 when actor/comedian Bob Hope recorded a performance of his show at the university…
With the remodel of the Performing Arts Center recently unveiled it is interesting to see how far the university has come from its’ humble beginnings….
Many students have probably been frustrated at one time or another in their search for affordable housing off-campus. One student in 1948, however, took his search for a place to live to new heights… literally!
Flashback to 1971 where the University Heritage Chorale group performs one of their annual concerts at the home of Chancellor James Olson and his wife, Vera….
