As a wide eyed graduate student, I set out to field verify my research. I had compiled copious amounts of information for my "Index of Historically Significant Sites In Kansas City Jazz History". I poured over city directories verifying where, and how Kansas City became one of the cradles of Jazz in America. The Sunset Club, The Reno Club, The Eblon Theater: Each has it's own significance, and each solidified my understanding of KC as one of the centers of the universe for Jazz. Quickly, however, I learned a hard truth.
Those places are all gone. Almost without exception.
The dark side of the end of segregation was that it destroyed vibrant independent economies within the black community. It quickly became apparent that I had stumbled into an area far beyond the scope of a thesis in Jazz musicology and history. I found myself at the intersection of sociology, economics, governmental policy, and a whole mess of other stuff that was to me, confounding.
A little over a decade ago, under the leadership of Mayor Emmanuel Cleaver, the first phase of a major revitalization was complete in the area of 18th and Vine. Ultimately, it manifested in the major construction projects of The American Jazz Museum, The Negro Leagues Basesball Museum, and the Gem Theater. Later the Lincoln building was revitalized and now houses several small businesses, and even a small business incubator. There are several restaurants, and night clubs that feature Jazz and Blues. There are also neighborhood businesses, and the Zodiac Motorcycle club is still there, and has been for over 30 years. The Mutual Musicians Foundation is still one of the greatest places in America to experience authentic Jazz culture into the wee hours of the morning.
The development of this area preserved what little still existed of the historic infrastructure. This is a very good thing. In sociology, they refer to these places as "sacred spaces". 18th & Vine is arguably one of the most recognizable sacred spaces in African American cultural heratige. It is right that we invested to bolster that legacy.
Unfortunately, ten years later, not much more has been done. White folks have some general vision of the district (that they have probably never been to) as "scary" or a "crappy neighborhood", and for the most part, black entrepreneurs have not build on the momentum of this decade old investment.
As evidenced by my glorious profile pic on this blog, I am a white guy. Now I work in the Jazz district every day. I can tell you it's an area ripe for development, with low cost land, potential subsidies, and it's flush with low-cost labor resources. It's safe, and has a neighborhood feel. As a matter of fact I find people to be much more friendly and cordial than in many other parts of the metro area. Eye contact, and "how are you doing" is the norm when passing people on the street. In this way, it reminds me of the small rural town I grew up in. The surrounding neighborhoods actually are suffering from urban gentrification, and less people live in the area than in years past. Because of this, there is less crime and such than many other areas in KC. There are more break-ins and assaults in the P&L District, and on the Plaza.
There should be more development here.
The reason the development does not happen has nothing to do with scared Johnson county wussies (they are) or territorial black folk who want to "get mine" (they do).
It's because three entities "own" the district. The JDRC, The BEU, and KCMO. All of these entities have done great and important things to help preserve and develop the Jazz district, but it often seems like a pissing contest as to who has done the most, and who "owns" whatever succeses have occurred.
Until all three of these organizations get on the same page, relinquish control, and move forward with an open plan that promotes and allows investment , nothing will happen, EVER! Also, the last-minute deal to make most of that great new housing built in the Jazz District into HUD housing does not help. If these things were to change, affluent african american entrepreneurs would invest heavily. (Um yes, they do exist...many of them) Hell, entrepreneurs of all stripes will invest. But you can't even purchase one of these nice condos or apartments, not at any price. So why should business people risk it? HUD is an important program that gives people a needed leg-up, but in the district, I believe it's misplaced. .
It's fundamental, and it's never going to change until the current systems of administration are destroyed, and replaced.
Cities like Memphis, and New Orleans have done similar things. It did not happen orgnically. It did not happen on it's own. It took years of concerted effort and cooperation on the part of private investment, government entities, and the people all together. There is no reason we cannot do the same thing here in KC. We just need to get everyone to the table.
People need to break out of their safe little bubbles in southern Johnson County, or as I call it "Caucasia". We have a rich cultural heritage in KC. It's fun and exciting to try new things, really, I promise. No one is going to steal your pocketbook, at least no more than they might in the P&L District or on the Plaza.
...And for those stakeholders already in the Jazz District, no one is going to steal your legacy. It's set in stone. The only way to grow this thing is going to be for us all to get together. As the great philosopher James Brown said,
People, People
We've got to get over
Before We go under
People People
We got to get together
Get on the Good Foot
Change it, yeah!
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