Kansas & U.S. History

June 2026 Adult Book List

Kansas Opera Houses by Jane Glotfelty Rhoads
Jane Glotfelty Rhoads shows how opera houses shaped Kansas arts and community life between 1855 and 1925, leaving cultural influences that can still be seen today.
Ike and Mccarthy by David A. Nichols
This historical biography details Eisenhower’s progressive civil rights leadership, highlighting his desegregation efforts, judicial appointments, legislative achievements, and cautious yet impactful actions that laid groundwork for 1960s breakthroughs.
A Girl Stands at the Door by Rachel Devlin; Robin Miles
Rachel Devlin tells how African American girls and young women led school desegregation, including Kansas’s Brown v. Board case, highlighting courage and impact.
Notorious Kansas Bank Heists by Rod Beemer
Rod Beemer explores Kansas bank robbery history, from Wild West gunslingers to 20th-century gangsters, detailing the criminals, lawmen, and towns shaped by these daring, notorious crimes.
Beyond Cold Blood by Larry Welch
Larry Welch chronicles the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s history, detailing cases from Ma Barker to serial killer Dennis Rader (BTK), highlighting the agency’s evolving role in law enforcement and public safety.

Appetite for America: How Visionary Businessman Fred Harvey Built a Railroad Hospitality Empire, Stephen Fried
Dust Bowl, The: An Illustrated History, Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns
Harvey Houses of Kansas by Rosa Walston Latimer
Kansas Baseball, 1858–1941, Mark E. Eberle
The Northern Cheyenne Exodus in History and Memory, James N. Leiker and Ramon Powers
Prairie Fire: A Great Plains History, Julie Courtwright
Policing Sex in the Sunflower State: The Story of the Kansas State Industrial Farm for Women, Nicole Perry
Railroad Empire across the Heartland: Rephotographing Alexander Gardner's Westward Journey, James E. Sherow, photographs by John R. Charlton

Prairie Peter Pan by Beverley Olson Buller
This biography tells the story of Mary White of Emporia, Kansas, highlighting her adventurous spirit, community involvement, and lasting legacy in her hometown and state history.

Visit Your Public Library
Provides a directory of Kansas public libraries where you can find titles from this month's reading list or request a book through interlibrary loan.

As Kansas and America 250 events, exhibits and ideas grow, this page will as well.