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Fervent debates still resound in Lecompton, Kansas, where slavery began to die • Kansas Reflector

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Fervent debates still resound in Lecompton, Kansas, where slavery began to die • Kansas Reflector


It’s an ambitious legacy for a community of fewer than 600 citizens. But Lecompton, 13 miles northwest of Lawrence, has leaned into the challenge. After all, for six contentious years it was the capital of the Kansas Territory, before the state was admitted to the Union in 1861. 

Consider Constitution Hall, built by the pro-slavery Sheriff of Douglas County, Samuel Jones, in 1856. The following year, according to Lecompton historian Tim Rues, the second of four constitutions proposed for the state of Kansas was signed there. It protected the enslavement of human beings in Kansas and excluded free Black persons from entering. Free Staters, anticipating an election rigged by Missouri settlers, boycotted the vote. 

The Lecompton Constitution was then debated in the U.S House of Representatives in February 1858. If not for a late-night brawl that tabled the proceedings, eventually splitting the Democratic party over the issue of voter fraud, Kansas might have entered the Union as a slave state. 

For this hugely consequential turn of events, Constitution Hall is now a Kansas and National Historic Landmark; a good place to introduce or update your knowledge of the border war. Plan your visit around a presentation called “Bleeding Kansas.”

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The Lecompton Reenactors are a group of historical interpreters who “bring to life a turbulent time in Kansas history,” says Steve Germes, who portrays Kansas’ first governor, Charles Robinson.

One weekday this spring, I witnessed this mock debate over the issues of popular sovereignty and slavery to a captive audience of two dozen high school students. Other interpreters represented James Lane, U.S.senator and leader of the Kansas Brigade during the Civil War, abolitionist John Brown, a fictional slave catcher named Felix, Sheriff Samuel Jones, and two important Kansas women, Sara Robinson and Clarina Nichols. They provided a moral counterpoint to the flawed men on both sides of the debate.

Historically, no such debate ever took place. Women were forbidden to speak in the public sphere. Lane and Robinson, both free staters, were political enemies, rarely seen together. And Sheriff Jones was usually preoccupied with keeping the state’s more radical abolitionists in check. 

Lecompton’s Constitution Hall was erected by the pro-slavery Douglas County Sheriff Samuel Jones in 1856. (Frank Barthell photo)

The speeches were well-researched. The interpreters were passionate about their messages, regardless of side. 

Recreator Paul Bahnmaier, speaking as Sheriff Jones, highlighted the legitimacy of the Lecompton government, while skirting the issue of legalizing chattel slavery, as he challenged abolitionists’ rights to be in Kansas in the first place. 

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What did you come here for?” he asked. “Why did you not go instead to Minnesota or Nebraska where you would be welcomed?  But no, you want to get all of the territory, but damn you, you shall not have it as it belongs to the South.” 

Lecompton native Bahnmaier coined the town’s brand, Where slavery began to die. Republican Abraham Lincoln, he points out, was only elected in 1860 because of that Democratic party split. Eventually, the anti-slavery Topeka Constitution was ratified by the Senate — 40 days after South Carolina seceded. 

“Without this splitting, Lincoln would never have been elected president and who knows how much longer slavery would have existed?” he said.

There is yet more history to learn in Lecompton. In anticipation of the Congressional passage of the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution, a territorial capitol building was begun with a $50,000 federal appropriation. Yes, Kansas was that close to becoming a slave state! 

Today, the building houses the Territorial Capital Museum. Displays about politics of the 1850s and ’60s show the role that Lecompton played in elections from Massachusetts to California. The small Democratic headquarters cabin nearby adds to the story of how the Lecompton Constitution enabled Lincoln to be elected with just 39% of the popular vote. 

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The town offers a thorough introduction to the constitutional crisis in the border war story. Kansas was not predestined to enter the Union as a Free State. It took any number of articulate and committed abolitionists to accomplish this.  

On the other hand, rad what the Rev. Samuel Adair, a relative of John Brown, observed about some of the self-proclaimed abolitionists who settled the territory. “Their free-soil is free soil for white, but not for black. They hated slavery but they hated the Negro worse.” 

If this legacy catches anyone by surprise, stay tuned.

Frank Barthell is a former video producer at the University of Kansas. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.

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1 man killed, 5 others wounded in mass shooting Friday night near East 19th and Vine streets in KCMO

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1 man killed, 5 others wounded in mass shooting Friday night near East 19th and Vine streets in KCMO


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One person was shot to death and five others were wounded by gunfire Friday night in the 18th and Vine Historic District in Kansas City, Missouri.

Police said officers were in the area of East 18th Street and Paseo about 10:30 p.m. when they heard gunshots.

The officers moved to East 19th Street between the Paseo and Vine Street to check for shooting victims, according to a police department news release.

They found one man who had been shot and was unresponsive, along with two women who had been shot.

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The man was declared dead at the scene.

One of the women suffered serious gunshot wounds and the other woman suffered non life-threatening wounds, according to the police department news release.

Officers at the shooting scene were notified three more shooting victims from the same area had been taken to a hospital by a private vehicle.

An adult male and female were reported in stable condition late Friday, while a second adult male suffered critical gunshot wounds, according to police.

Police said their preliminary investigation revealed the victims were standing on 19th Street between Vine and Paseo when people began shooting in several directions.

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All the shooting victims were hit by gunfire in that area, according to police.

No word on what led to the mass shooting and at least one murder.

This is a developing story and will be updated when new information is available.

If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.

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Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.





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Where to watch St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 19

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Where to watch St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 19


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The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.

Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.

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The MLB action continues on Friday as the St. Louis Cardinals visit the Kansas City Royals.

Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.

See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.

What time is St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals?

First pitch between the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals is scheduled for (ET) on Friday, June 19.

How to watch St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals on Friday

All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, June 19, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.

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  • Matchup: STL at KC
  • Date: Friday, June 19
  • Time: (ET)
  • Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
  • Location: Kansas City, Missouri
  • TV: Apple TV
  • Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo

Watch MLB all season long with Fubo

MLB regional blackout restrictions apply

MLB scores, results

MLB scores for June 19 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:

See scores, results for all of today’s games.



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Mixed results for Kansas City World Cup start as some businesses struggle

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Mixed results for Kansas City World Cup start as some businesses struggle


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) — It’s been a week since the World Cup began in Kansas City, but some local businesses aren’t feeling the expected influx in traffic and are asking for support.

On Thursday, KC2026 provided numbers for the FIFA Fan Festival and the ConnectKC26 transportation system.

From June 11 to June 16, KC2026 said more than 63,000 people attended the FIFA Fan Festival.

There are mixed results for where everyone is from:

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  • 52% from Kansas or Missouri
  • 33% from the United States
  • 15% from out of the country

As of 2 p.m. on June 17, ConnectKC26 has a total of 86,540 registered passes.

Breakdown of routes from KC2026:

    • Stadium Direct: 57,302
    • Regional Direct: 17,284
    • Airport Direct: 11,954

As for business traffic, it depends on where you look. Some businesses in the Country Club Plaza said they’ve seen an uptick, especially on the first match day.

“We just had a really fun time with all of the fans, and I think we did a good job preparing for it,” said KC Style Haus Owner, Deserae Minor.

But many businesses are sharing their disappointment online.

‘Ghost town’

Caitlin Benedict, who owns Bisou, a European-style coffee and pastry shop, took to Instagram after shopping at a Crossroads night market.

“We are all in this together, it sucks. It was dead. It’s been dead everywhere,” said Bisou Owner, Caitlin Benedict.

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After sharing her disappointment online, she saw an uptick in business on Thursday.

“It’s nice when the community can help out, and you can back up your own hometown at the same time,” said Janet Garciga, who drove in from Lee’s Summit to visit Bisou.

People sit outside on the patio in Bisou Kansas City, after its owner asked for more support during the World Cup.(KCTV5 News)

“I don’t want them to just come to Bisou, and I don’t want it to just be for a day. I want them to go everywhere else, and I want them to support everyone else, and consistently, especially for the next month and a half while FIFA is here,” said Benedict.

She heard from businesses experiencing the same issues in Mission, other spots downtown, Kansas City, Kansas, and Overland Park.

Flags wave outside of Buffalo State Pizza in Kansas City, Missouri during the World Cup.
Flags wave outside of Buffalo State Pizza in Kansas City, Missouri during the World Cup.(KCTV5 News)

Down the road in the Crossroads, Buffalo State Pizza saw fans for the French match on Tuesday.

“But after that, I mean, we even close early on Tuesday because that was, it was dead,” said Buffalo State Pizza Owner, Phillippe Lechevin.

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Shopping bags and matchas aren’t filling up at Dear Society either.

“The 10 years that I’ve been here in Kansas City. I have seen a lot of these big events coming into town, and we’ve been told to prepare and get ready for these huge crowds. And to be honest, after the NFL draft and after so many things that I’ve seen in 10 years, I didn’t do anything different,” said Dear Society Owner, Chanel Jezek. “I kind of knew. I had a feeling like we weren’t going to be as busy as they were projecting because they’ve done this to us before.”

Dear Society in Kansas City, Missouri, is described as an experiential retail concept by the...
Dear Society in Kansas City, Missouri, is described as an experiential retail concept by the owner.(KCTV5 News)

Multiple factors = slow traffic

All three, Bisou, Buffalo State Pizza, and Dear Society, said there isn’t really someone to blame, but rather multiple factors that could be part of the issues.

A lot of eateries in town added a 20% automatic gratuity to bills, Bisou and Buffalo State Pizza decided not to take part, but worry that it is keeping locals away.

Visit KC projected 650,000 visitors throughout the entire tournament, and these businesses wonder if the possibility of large crowds and no parking is also keeping residents at home.

“I think we lost a lot of the regular ones. You know, the number was shown earlier back in February, you know, the 600,000 people. People who have the option to work from home, but maybe they didn’t want to deal with the traffic, since there’s no traffic. So hopefully they’re going to come back,” said Lechevin. “People may realize, actually, you know, it’s not as crazy as it is. I can still park in my regular spot and have lunch at my regular spot without being, you know, charged an extra amount.”

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Jezek said she’d love to see KC2026 and FIFA add more locally owned businesses on their website so fans know where to find them.

“We are not seeing an increase in traffic on the streets. We are not crowded like they were predicting. You can still come in. You can still support your local businesses, your favorite coffee shops, your favorite places to grab your gifts, or whatever. We’re here. We’re slow. And there are more places to park,” said Jezek.

Benedict said it is an honor to have the World Cup here, but wants to see more honesty and support from leaders.

“I feel like it’s good for our city. It’s recognition. But at the same time, I want leadership to step in and say, okay, we didn’t get as many travelers as we should have,” said Benedict.

These businesses are hopeful that fans, locals, and other owners all come out and support these small shops throughout the metro during the World Cup and beyond.

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“I would say just keep coming and supporting us and showing up,” said Jezek.

KCTV5 reached out to Visit KC, but did not have any numbers it could share at this time.

Mayor Quinton Lucas’ office shared the statement below after this story aired on Thursday:

“While the economic impact of a global event of this magnitude will naturally vary by business and by neighborhood, Mayor Lucas is encouraged by what he is hearing from Kansas City’s entertainment and hospitality sectors. Hotels, bars, and restaurants reported strong activity as Kansas City welcomed tens of thousands of guests for the opening match. As we look toward this weekend’s games and the remainder of the tournament, we’ll continue to highlight opportunities for our visitors and residents alike to join in the fun and celebration of this one in a generation moment.”

Businesses are hopeful that the longer the World Cup goes on, the more people will show up. KCTV5 plans to check in with these businesses throughout the tournament to see if traffic picks up.

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Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.



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