Amidst the preparations for the celebration of the nation’s Sesquicentennial, Kansas has another reason to commemorate the past 150 years. On January 29, 2011 the Sunflower State celebrated its 150th anniversary of statehood. The Kansas Humanities Council marked the anniversary with a combination of grants and programs to local and state agencies celebrating the state’s history over the past 150 years.
A statewide tour of the traveling exhibition Kansans Tell Their Stories, based on the popular Kansas Humanities Council program started in 2004, will be part of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Kansas Statehood. Stories from across the state, written and researched by local community organizations, are shared, encouraging Kansans to think about their own histories and their collective past. Topics include the Orphan Trains in Kansas, the history Wichita’s El Huarache neighborhood, and Fort Scott’s African-American heritage. Kansans are invited to tell their own story on Kansas Stories, a special section of the Council’s website.
The Kansas Museum of History in Topeka has chosen to celebrate the state’s Sesquicentennial by launching an exhibit, 150 Things I Love About Kansas, which opened January 28, 2011 and runs through the end of the year. The exhibit features 150 objects, images, and documents about Kansas, including well-known state symbols and stereotypes. The exhibition examines the state’s history, culture, and traditions through the lens of eight common themes including: Landscape, Wizard of Oz, People, Sunflowers, Weather, Wheat, Wild West, and Kansas Centennial. The exhibition was supported by a grant from the Kansas Humanities Council.