KC Gems Week 6: Breaking Through: John B. McLendon, Basketball Legend and Civil Rights Pioneer
Hybrid (inperson & Zoom) | Registration opens 8/14/2026 12:00 AM CDT
KC Gems last 1-2 hours depending on the topic and presenter.
Sports has always been a powerful force for social change. Breaking Through is the story of Kansas native John B. McLendon's struggle for equality in post - World War II America when one coach refused to accept that teams at historically black colleges were unable to achieve national prominence. A civil rights pioneer who integrated the sport of basketball on both the collegiate and professional levels, he broke through the bonds of instituional racism for the rights of his players and African Americans everywhere. Along the way, McLendon revolutionized the game with superb player conditioning, the fast break, the full-court press, and two-in-the corner offense. His remarkable courage, unswerving determination, and moral strength in the pursuit of human rights and social justice brought American democracy a step closer to reality.
Milton Katz
Dr. Milton S. Katz is Professor Emeritus of Humanities at the Kansas City Art Institute where he has taught for 52 years. His biography, Breaking Through: John B. McLendon, Basketball Legend and Civil Rights Pioneer, won the William Rockhill Nelson Award in the most outstanding non-fiction category in 2008. His book has also inspired three award-winning documentary films of which Dr. Katz served as historical consultant and played a leading role in each of them.