WHITEWASHING OR AMNESIA: A STUDY OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF RACE IN TWO MIDWESTERN COUNTIES A DISSERTATION IN Sociology and History Presented to the Faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by DEBRA KAY TAYLOR M.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2005 B.L.A., University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2000 Kansas City, Missouri 2019 © 2019 DEBRA KAY TAYLOR ALL RIGHTS RESERVE WHITEWASHING OR AMNESIA: A STUDY OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF RACE IN TWO MIDWESTERN COUNTIES Debra Kay Taylor, Candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2019 ABSTRACT This inter-disciplinary dissertation utilizes sociological and historical research methods for a critical comparative analysis of the material culture as reproduced through murals and monuments located in two counties in Missouri, Bates County and Cass County. Employing Critical Race Theory as the theoretical framework, each counties’ analysis results are examined. The concepts of race, systemic racism, White privilege and interest-convergence are used to assess both counties continuance of sustaining a racially imbalanced historical narrative. I posit that the construction of history of Bates County and Cass County continues to influence and reinforces systemic racism in the local narrative. Keywords: critical race theory, race, racism, social construction of reality, white privilege, normality, interest-convergence iii APPROVAL PAGE The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, have examined a dissertation titled, “Whitewashing or Amnesia: A Study of the Construction of Race in Two Midwestern Counties,” presented by Debra Kay Taylor, candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree, and certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee Theresa Torres, Ph.D., Committee Chair Department of Sociology Diane Mutti Burke, Ph.D., Department of History Loyce Caruthers, Ph.D., Department of Educational Leadership, Policy & Foundations Viviana Grieco, Ph.D., Department of History Philip G. Olson, Ph.D., Department of Sociology iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ................................................................................................ viii LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................ x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 The Statement of the Issue ......................................................................................... 5 Literature Review......................................................................................................... 7 Data and Methods ..................................................................................................... 28 Theoretical Framework .............................................................................................. 41 Organization of Study ................................................................................................ 46 2. THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT: UNDERSTANDING THE TROUBLED PAST ................... 50 The Land and The Osage ........................................................................................... 59 The Evolving Border Region and Migration of Whites ............................................ 67 Becoming the Border – Strife and War ..................................................................... 78 Return to Normalcy? ................................................................................................. 105 Remembering and Forgetting ................................................................................... 113 Understanding the Socio-Historical Context........................................................... 125 v 3. THE STANDARD: CASS COUNTY ............................................................................... 130 Murals and Monuments ........................................................................................... 138 Cass County Murals ................................................................................................... 144 Cass County Monuments .......................................................................................... 159 Analysis of Cass County Murals and Monuments: The Standard ........................... 167 4. THE EXCEPTION: BATES COUNTY ............................................................................. 180 Bates County Murals ................................................................................................. 181 Bates County Monument ........................................................................................ 200 Analysis of Bates County Murals and Monument: The Exception ........................ 203 5. CRITICAL RACE THEORY ANALYSIS OF MURALS AND MONUMENTS ................... 222 Application of Critical Race Theory ..........................................................................224 Tenet 1 – Race as a Social Construct ....................................................................224 Tenet 2 – Racism is Normative ............................................................................. 227 Tenet 3 – Interest Convergence .......................................................................... 233 Tenet 4 – Uniqueness of Voice ............................................................................ 251 Concluding Commentary on Critical Race Theory ................................................... 255 6. WHERE TO GO FROM HERE ..................................................................................... 260 Summary with Proposed Practices .......................................................................... 261 Deconstruction, Reconstruction and Reeducation ............................................... 264 Implications .............................................................................................................. 265 Commentary on Removal of Confederate Monuments ........................................ 267 vi Recommendations for Future Study ....................................................................... 271 Reflection .................................................................................................................. 275 Appendix A. MURAL/MONUMENT ANALYSIS WORKSHEET .................................................. 279 B. PRIMARY TEXTS ANALYSIS WORKSHEET .......................................................... 280 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 281 VITA ................................................................................................................................ 322 vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1 - Burnt District Map ............................................................................................... 51 2 - The Kansas-Missouri Border 1854-1859 ............................................................. 84 3 - Jennison's Jayhawk Raid on Harrisonville ....................................................... 146 4 - Younger Family Farm Eviction .......................................................................... 149 5 - Timeline of Significant Events .......................................................................... 152 6 - Back Home, April 1865 ...................................................................................... 158 7 - Burnt District Monument .................................................................................. 161 8 - Burnt District Monument, Chimney ................................................................. 162 9 - Reconciliation Plaza .......................................................................................... 164 10 - Slave Fountain ................................................................................................. 166 12 - Signage at Burnt District Monument .............................................................. 172 13 - Slave Wall ......................................................................................................... 175 14 - Keep the Pioneer Spirit ................................................................................... 183 15 - Zebulon Pike ..................................................................................................... 187 16 - Where the Civil War Began ............................................................................. 188 17 - Where the Civil War Began (Middle Panel) .................................................... 189 19 - (Right Panel) .................................................................................................... 189 20 - General Joseph Shelby .................................................................................... 195 viii 21 - Battle of Island Mound .................................................................................... 197 23 - First Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry ........................................................ 201 24 - Bates County Population, 1850-2018 ............................................................