Bruce R. Watkins

Bruce Riley Watkins (March 20, 1924, Parkville, Missouri - September 13, 1980 Kansas City, Missouri) and his stepfather Theron B. Watkins (1877–1950) were prominent political and social activists in Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri. The younger Watkins was the first African-American elected to Kansas City's City Council, in 1963; the first African-American elected to office in that county's administration, in 1966; and the first African-American to nearly win election as Kansas City Mayor, in April 1979.[1][2][3][4] Watkins was a Republican and served as Chair of the Jackson County Democratic Committee.[5] Watkins and his close friend Leon Jordan[6] established the political club "Freedom, Inc." in 1962.[7]

Bruce R. Watkins office environment, re-created and on display at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center in Kansas City Missouri
Bronze bust of Bruce R. Watkins
Bronze bust of Bruce R. Watkins created in December, 1989, by Ed Dwight on display at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center

Monuments

Monuments erected in his honor include the Spirit of Freedom fountain at Brush Creek Boulevard and Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri and the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center at Blue Parkway and Cleveland Avenue and Bruce R. Watkins Drive (US 71), a major thoroughfare in Kansas City completed October 22, 2001. Both landmarks are within walking distance of the family business co-founded by Theron Watkins, Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel.

City Council

During his time on City Council, Watkins championed civil rights and equal employment opportunities. On Sept 13, 1963, he established Public Accommodations Ordinance No. 29153[5] which prohibited race-based discrimination in private businesses. This legislation was hotly contested and submitted to a public referendum before finally passing on April 18, 1964.

The Cultural Heritage Center, February 2012.

Cultural Heritage Center

The Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, dedicated in December 1989, is dedicated to the legacy of Mr. Watkins. It features exhibits about the artistic, cultural and social history of the African-American experience.

References
  1. "Bruce Watkins made innumerable contributions to the development of Kansas City..." Google eBooks. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  2. "Bruce R. Watkins, Kansas City Missouri Leader and Successful Black Entrepreneur". BlackMissouri.com. 2008-07-14. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  3. "Bruce R. Watkins". Kansas City Missouri Parks and Recreation Department. 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  4. "Biography of Theron B. Watkins (1877-1950) and Bruce Watkins (1924-1980), Community Leaders". Kansas City Public Library. 1999. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  5. "Biography of Theron B. Watkins (1877-1950) and Bruce Watkins (1924-1980), Community Leaders | KC History". kchistory.org. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  6. Unsolved killing echoes civil The Kansas City Star
  7. Kubic, Micah W. (2016). Freedom, Inc. and black political empowerment. Columbia, Missouri. ISBN 978-0826220554. OCLC 891854537.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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