Kansas City plays central role in Smithsonian efforts to build national Latino museum

The White House recently targeted the Latino museum in a listing of Smithsonian exhibits and messaging criticized as woke or anti-American.

For more than 30 years, the vision has been clear.

A museum dedicated to Latino history will someday take its place alongside other Smithsonian Institution buildings in Washington, D.C.

Groundbreaking is likely still years in the future.

The National Museum of the American Latino has deep connections to Kansas City, a fact that helped draw national staff to the area in early August for community events.

Discussions were wide-ranging.

People spoke about painful memories of discrimination, like the segregated schools that once existed for Mexican children, and other challenges. Defunded, but not defeated KCUR is committed to local, independent j