Kansans You Should Know

Twenty-four notable Kansans, hand-picked from the KTWU-TV SUNFLOWER JOURNEYS series' archives form a unique group of historical figures who are profiled in the series, KANSANS YOU SHOULD KNOW.

While a few of these Kansans are lesser-known individuals and are not as quickly identifiable by many viewers, they have all made major contributions to history. For example, in 1887, Susanna Madora Salter was the first woman to ever be elected a town mayor, right here in the state of Kansas.

Others are more famous individuals such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Walter P. Chrysler, Amelia Earhart, Gordon Parks and Thomas Hart Benton. Viewers can enjoy these concise, entertaining biographies of some of the leaders of the "Sunflower State." Biographies are grouped by common interests into the episodes to be shown on KTWU-TV. SUNFLOWER JOURNEYS' host Dave Kendall will introduce the Kansans throughout the series. The series was produced by Scott Williams.

The biographies are also available on a new 3-DVD set available from KTWU through the website at our online store.

In the Fall of 1987, public television station KTWU-TV began to produce a series of programs related to Kansas history, geography and culture. Currently broadcast throughout the state of Kansas, SUNFLOWER JOURNEYS has evolved into a series that covers a broad range of topics illustrating various aspects of the past, present and future of the Sunflower State. The series draws upon the expertise of local scholars to provide thoughtful explorations of the state and its social, cultural and natural resources.

KTWU has been broadcasting local public television in eastern Kansas and portions of Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma since 1965. KTWU also broadcasts three distinct digital television signals. KTWU is licensed to Washburn University with studios on the campus in Topeka and was the first public television station in the state of Kansas to begin broadcasting educational programming.

SUNFLOWER JOURNEYS' Host Dave Kendall and Series Producer Scott Williams. Photo by: Jim Kelly

Episodes

The KANSANS YOU SHOULD KNOW series groups biographies by common interests.

Program One - Inventors (Jack Kilby, Walter Chrysler, George Washington Carver)

Program Two - Musicians & Artists (Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry, Elvera Voth)

Program Three - Entrepreneurs (Karl Menninger, C.L. Brown, Harry Sinclair)

Program Four - Social Voices (Carry Nation, William Allen White, Gordon Parks)

Program Five - Movers & Shakers (John Brown, Clarina Nichols, Dwight D. Eisenhower)

Program Six - Boundary Breakers (Susanna Madora Salter, Nancy Kassebaum Baker,
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius)

Program Seven - Military & Aeronautics (Frederick Funston, Father Emil Kapaun, Amelia Earhart)

Program Eight - Communicators (Langston Hughes, Huck Boyd, Oscar Micheaux)