Reclaiming the right to jaywalk

Reclaiming the right to jaywalk

From AD FREE - PHKC - YOUTUBE - RSS by KCUR Studios

February 17, 2026 · 27 min

About this episode

This episode discusses Kansas City's historic repeal of its anti-jaywalking ordinance and its implications on racial justice.

Kansas City, Missouri, became the first major city in the country to repeal its anti-jaywalking ordinance, after research found that tickets were being disproportionately issued to Black men. It’s a full-circle moment, because Kansas City was also the first city to criminalize jaywalking more than a century earlier. Mackenzie Martin reports in the second of our two-part series. This episode of A People's History of Kansas City was reported, produced, and mixed by Mackenzie Martin with editing by Suzanne Hogan and Gabe Rosenberg.

People in this episode

Hosts: Mackenzie Martin, Suzanne Hogan

Topics covered

  • jaywalking
  • law
  • racial justice
  • Kansas City

Keywords

  • anti-jaywalking ordinance
  • Black men
  • criminalization
  • Kansas City history

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: A People's History of Kansas City

Places: Kansas City, Missouri

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