18th & Vine DistrictKansas City is proud of its 18th & Vine District, a neighborhood that was the birthplace of Kansas City jazz, the center of commerce for the city's African-American community from the 1920s into the 1960s and a place where racial diversity was the norm. Federal, state and local grants and loans have helped the revitalization of this area become a reality. Included in the 50,000-square-foot museum complex and performance facility is The Jazz Museum, showcasing Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Billie Holiday. The Blue Room Jazz Club features local artists. The Black Archives of Mid-America has one of the Midwest's largest displays of African-American photographs, sculptures and paintings. Rounding out the District are soul-food restaurants, African-American art galleries, gift shops and the 18th & Vine Authority, (816) 474-8463. |