Freedom, Inc. or Freedom, Incorporated of Kansas City Missouri is a political organization founded in 1961
by five
African-American political activists,
Bruce Watkins, Howard Maupin, Charles Moore, Fred Curls,
Leon Jordan
Leon Mercer Jordan (May 6, 1905 – July 15, 1970) was an African-American police officer, politician, and civil rights leader from Kansas City, Missouri. Jordan was "one of the most influential African Americans in Kansas City's history" and, a ...
. This was crucial to
desegregation of Kansas City Missouri public facilities, the election of many black
Missouri State Representatives since 1963, the "strong" candidacy of
Bruce R. Watkins for Mayor of Kansas City in 1978-79, the 1982 election of
Alan Wheat, the first black Congressman to represent a majority-white district in the
Greater Kansas City Missouri Metropolitan Area,
the 1991 election of
Emanuel Cleaver
Emanuel Cleaver II (born October 26, 1944) is a United Methodist pastor and American politician who has represented in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005.
Cleaver represents a district that includes the southern three-fourths of Kans ...
as
the first black mayor of Kansas City, and—according to new information reported on
KKFI
KKFI is a radio station located in Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri and owned by Mid-Coast Radio Project, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization, nonprofit. Formed in 1988, it broadcasts at 100,000 watts on ...
on February 18, 2012 during an on-air interview of filmmaker Emiel Cleaver, possibly a blueprint responsible for elections of
"First Black Mayors" in
New Orleans, Louisiana and other major U.S. cities. The organization was reportedly the
brainchild
Brainchild may refer to:
* Brainchild (band), a local supergroup from Youngstown, Ohio, 1969–1972
* ''Brainchild'' (Society of Soul album), 1996
* ''Brainchild'' (Circle of Dust album), 1994
* Fictional comic characters in the Marvel Universe: ...
of
Leon M. Jordan and
Bruce R. Watkins, who were elected its first chairman and co-chairman, respectively.
References
External links
Nonpartisan organizations in the United States
Organizations based in Kansas City, Missouri
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