Reps. Cleaver, LaTurner, Davids Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Designate Quindaro Townsite as National Historic Landmark
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), and Sharice Davids (D-KS) introduced the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act—bipartisan legislation to designate the Quindaro Townsite in Kansas City, Kansas as a National Historic Landmark.
The Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act gives the Secretary of the Interior additional flexibility to provide technical and financial assistance to local entities to preserve the site and provide educational content about the Landmark to the public.
“Freedom is the foundational principle of American democracy, and the Quindaro Townsite is an important piece of regional history that tells the stories of those seeking to uphold our national commitment to liberty and freedom for all,” said Congressman Cleaver. “For years now, I’ve proudly worked across the aisle to ensure this site receives the recognition and appreciation it rightfully deserves. I’m proud to join Reps. LaTurner and Davids to introduce the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act as we continue our efforts to preserve the cultural keystone of Quindaro in Eastern Kansas.”
“Quindaro is a vital part of our nation's history and served as a beacon of hope and freedom for Americans fighting to end slavery in the mid-19th century," said Rep. LaTurner. "I'm proud to introduce this legislation with my colleagues and stand with the dozens of volunteers who have been fighting for decades to ensure the Quindaro Townsite receives the recognition and appreciation it deserves from our federal government.”
"I'm proud to join my colleagues, Representatives Cleaver and LaTurner, as well as community leaders across Kansas, to help the Quindaro Townsite receive the recognition and care it deserves. Quindaro is a significant part of Kansas' history in the fight for freedom and equality, but for too long, our community has lacked the proper investments needed to preserve this important site. A National Historic Landmark designation will build on the bipartisan effort I led in 2019 to establish Quindaro as a National Commemorative Site and help protect its history, keeping its stories alive for generations to come,” said Rep. Davids.
“As the Mayor of Kansas City, Kansas it is of great importance to champion the significance the Quindaro Ruins plays highlighting the plight of African Americans through a network officially called the *Underground Railroad*. This dynamic gateway from slavery to freedom was facilitated in Wyandotte County Kansas with the assistance of Abolitionists, Wyandotte Indians, and freed African American slaves. This diverse group highlights the common denominator of a diversity of Americans helping other Americans realize the self-evident truths; that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. In the awesome community of Wyandotte County Kansas City Kansas we are extremely excited and grateful for the impending consideration taken by our National Congressional Leaders to take the steps necessary to elevate the Quindaro Ruins with an enhanced designation that can personify what it means for all Americans to truly be part of a United States of America continuously evolving into that perfect union for all those that champion what it means to be an American," said KCK Mayor Tyrone Garner. "As Mayor, I respectfully urge passage of the legislation before you, and thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter of great historic importance, not just to the Great State of Kansas but to our Great Nation."
"Quindaro townsite is deeply emblematic of our proud, complicated heritage and a crucial chapter of our shared history as Kansans and Americans. This bill will help ensure Quindaro’s story endures for generations to come," said Lucinda Adams, Executive Director of Freedom's Frontier.
The Quindaro Townsite was founded in 1857 as a port of entry into Kansas on the Missouri River for people opposed to slavery during the Bleeding Kansas conflict and served as a site on the Underground Railroad. In 2019, Congressman Cleaver helped pass federal legislation to designate the Quindaro Townsite as a National Commemorative Site. However, the site's historical significance warrants a more prominent designation on the National Register of Historic Places, given its role in shaping American political debate in the 19th century and stopping the westward spread of slavery into the Kansas Territory.
Official text of the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act is available here.
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.