June 19, 2020

Whose Land?

This isn’t a story about westward expansion. It’s a story of how Kansas land — specifically, land that the federal government paid Kansas’ tribes nominally for and then pushed them out — ended up making millions of dollars for universities back East.

In partnership with High County News, Stephan Bisaha of the Kansas News Service looks at the legacy of land-grant universities and their connection to Indigenous peoples of Kansas, whose land was gifted to schools as far away as New Jersey, Delaware and South Carolina. Don’t miss the interactive map, which goes into great detail on each of the hundreds of parcels of land.

“It's horribly sad to know how your ancestors were treated.”

— Pauline Sharp, the secretary-treasurer of the Kanza Heritage Society. The Kanza once had 20 million acres in Kansas, which then shrunk to 80,000. Eventually, the remaining members of the tribe were forced to move to Oklahoma.

Pandemic Paper

Once Johnson and Sedgwick counties received their direct share of federal coronavirus aid, the state of Kansas was left with $1 billion to distribute. Legislative leaders and the governor met this week to decide where it should all go. Stephen Koranda of the Kansas News Service reports that the first round, worth $400 million, is for health care needs, but the next two rounds of funding aren’t settled yet.

Speak Up, Speak Out

Kansas college students and alumni are finding ways to amplify their stories about racist incidents on campus, even while everyone is at home. Enter the hashtag #BlackAtKState, where students share that they’ve been subtly and not-so-subtly targeted in Manhattan. Stephan Bisaha of the Kansas News Service has more on social media activism, and the school’s response.

Death Penalty Dates

It’s been 17 years since the federal government executed a prisoner. That is expected to change this summer, as two men who were convicted of the rape and murder of children in Kansas have been scheduled to be put to death. Dan Margolies with KCUR has more.

More From Kansas News Service Partners

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