Council Grove and its connections to two significant chapters of American history will be featured during KTWU’s “Neighborhood Night” on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Video producer Dave Kendall will join KTWU General Manager Val VanDerSluis during live breaks in broadcasts of two documentaries produced by Kendall.
The evening will begin at 7 p.m. with “Black/White & Brown,” a documentary about the landmark U.S. Supreme Court school desegregation case Brown v. Board of Education. Kendall and Cheryl Brown Henderson will join VanDerSluis during live breaks in the broadcast. Henderson is the daughter of the Rev. Oliver Brown, whose family name became associated with the historic case Around 8:30 p.m., KTWU will air “The Road to Santa Fe,” Kendall’s production examining the history of the Santa Fe Trail.
Kendall and historian Rex Buchanan will provide background on the documentary during live studio segments hosted by VanDerSluis. The program places particular emphasis on Council Grove’s connection to the Santa Fe Trail and the community’s historical relationship with the Kaw Nation.
Ken McClintock provides much of the historical information in the documentary concerning Council Grove and the trail.
A later segment examines the impact of the Santa Fe Trail on the Kaw people. Ron Parks, former director of Kaw Mission State Historic Site and author of “The Darkest Period,” discusses that history. James Pepper Henry, chairman of the Kaw Nation, is also featured in the segment.
KTWU is billing the evening as “Neighborhood Night.” During the broadcasts, viewers will be invited to support the public television station as part of its membership fundraising efforts.
In the Council Grove area, residents can watch KTMU livestream at watch.ktwu.org/livestream/