Local history
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Lawrence city commissioners approve historic markers to honor teens killed by police in 1970
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday approved historic markers to pay tribute to Rick “Tiger” Dowdell and Nick Rice, teens who were shot and killed by Lawrence police officers in 1970, despite objections from the police chief.
Lawrence Times in-depth series
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Watkins Museum’s Civil War on the Border festival to include speakers, tours of historical sites
The Watkins Museum of History on Thursday is kicking off its 27th annual Civil War on the Border festival. The four days of programming will feature 15 tours, lectures and more in Douglas County.
Hannah Bailey: What can we learn from Kansas’ history of forced sterilization? (Column)
“By applying an either/or rhetoric to a highly nuanced and medically complex issue, anti-abortion advocates are assuring that lawyers, hospital staff, and political entities will ultimately make decisions about pregnancy and abortion care,” Hannah Bailey writes in this column.
Watkins Museum of History: Program will honor Glenn Kappelman, civic leader and activist
Glenn Kappelman left his mark on Lawrence in many ways. On Friday, the Watkins Museum of History will honor Kappelman’s legacy with a special program and exhibit.
The Murder of Tiger Dowdell: July 16, 1970
“We could’ve killed him, gone home and had dinner. That’s how strong the hate was,” Sakeim Dowdell recalled, 52 years after a Lawrence police officer shot and killed his younger brother, Rick “Tiger” Dowdell.
The Murder of Tiger Dowdell: A lasting impact
All told, Tiger Dowdell’s murder — at the hands of a police department that had threatened to kill him shortly before his death, his grandmother told the KBI — drastically changed the fabric of Lawrence.
The Murder of Tiger Dowdell: More questions than answers
A KBI case file leaves one prevailing question which may ultimately be lost to history: Why did Lawrence Police Officer William Garrett shoot and kill Rick “Tiger” Dowdell on July 16, 1970?
University Press of Kansas / Contributed Photo
University Press of Kansas to partner with historic Winter School, host event with author Tai S. Edwards
As part of an ongoing series, the University Press of Kansas (UPK) will host a discussion with author and historian Tai S. Edwards, who specializes in Indigenous studies.
August Rudisell / The Lawrence Times
Tour exploring East Lawrence art, culture and community set for Saturday
Only a few spots remain for community members to join a tour to experience the arts and cultures of East Lawrence. But if you miss it, you’ll be able to take a self-guided tour in the future.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Abortion bans continue to reinforce colonization of Indigenous people, community leaders say
Indigenous community members at a panel event Thursday discussed the history that lies below the surface of recent abortion bans — including mass sterilization in the 1960s and 70s — and how Indigenous people will be overwhelmingly affected by the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
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