Special Collections and Archives Finding Aids

Scope and Contents Students debuted The Kangaroo humor magazine in April 1937, the same year the University of Kansas City's student council moved to adopt the kangaroo as the university's official mascot. The kangaroo did not appear on the magazine's cover until the second issue in May 1937. By Fall 1937, Kasey Kangaroo was born as the official mascot. The following year, magazine staff contacted Walt Disney for a drawing of Kasey Kangaroo in his style. Disney's artwork appears on...

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The UMKC University Archives Artifacts, Ephemera, and Memorabilia is an artificial collection of paper materials and objects that were originally produced to only have short-term use. However, they have since been kept at the University Archives as historical artifacts and memorabilia because they have historical research interest. This collection includes news articles about the University of Kansas City and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

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The UMKC University Archives Subject Files is an artificial collection of documents related to the University of Missouri-Kansas City's history and operations. The files contain articles, internal university documents, newspaper clippings, and other materials related to university offices, departments, centers, and institutes; academic programs; university personnel; student activities; and major campus events.

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This record group sub-series includes Alumni News, Alumnus, and Alumni News Editions of the University of Kansas City Bulletin and the University of Missouri--Kansas City Bulletin. These Alumni Bulletins date between 1947 and 1973.

Scope and Contents This record group sub-series contains programs and invitations to commencement ceremonies held at the University of Kansas City and the University of Missouri--Kansas City dated from 1936 to the present. Later years include programs for mid-year commencements held in December in addition to commencements held in May. Each program lists information on the event's orders of ceremonies, speaker names, and the names of graduates and their earned degrees under their corresponding schools and...

Scope and Contents This record group sub-series includes programs from University of Kansas City and University of Missouri—Kansas City convocations dating back to the first convocation held on October 1, 1933. Convocations over the years were held to commemorate the beginning of the academic year or for awards and honors ceremonies. For example, the university held a convocation ceremony to bestow an honorary degree to former U.S. President Harry S. Truman in 1945; an honorary degree to the President of the...

Scope and Contents This record group sub-series contains the Schedule of Classes for each semester for an academic year, dating between 1944 and 2005. The schedules list all classes for each department slated to be held for Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer quarters and Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. The schedules show the times in the week at which particular classes will take place, along with classroom locations and instructors' names. Departments published correction sheets when there were changes to the...

Scope and Contents This sub-series contains directories listing only students' contact information, rather than of all faculty, staff, and students attending or working at the university. The University of Kansas City began publishing directories in 1937. The University of Missouri—Kansas City ended the practice of publishing physical directories in 2002 when the university moved to providing the information in an online searchable database. Many issues include a listed individual’s phone number and local...

Scope and Contents This record group series contains copies of the University of Kansas City and the University of Missouri--Kansas City student handbook, the annual publication for students designed to assist them in becoming acquainted with the university community and its policies and procedures. The copies in this collection date from 1945 to 2006. The current student handbook can be found on the UMKC Division of Student Affairs ...

Scope and Contents This record group series contains University of Kansas City and University of Missouri--Kansas City theses and dissertations published between 1940 and 2019. Theses and dissertations stored onsite pertain to Kansas City and regional history, arts, and culture, and oversized volumes. The majority of theses and dissertations are stored offsite.Please note that there are theses and dissertations available to check out via the UMKC University Libraries online catalog at ...

Scope and Contents The University of Kansas City and University of Missouri-Kansas City Yearbooks collection consists of each yearbook from 1936-1967, 1976-1978, 1982-1985, and 1990. From 1936 to 1938, the yearbook published under the title “Kangaroo and Crataegus,” with the “Kangaroo” being a student published humor magazine and the “Crataegus” being the yearbook. From 1939 to 1967, the yearbook merged with the humor magazine to become “Kangaroo,” “The Kangaroo,” or “UKC Kangaroo.” Efforts to restart the...

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This record series contains the operational and administrative records for the University of Kansas City Board of Trustees. It includes publications and printed material; meeting minutes; ledgers; and fundraising documents. Of note are the charters for UKC's merger with the University of Missouri System in 1966.

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Consists of broadcast recordings from University of Kansas City Radio, including programs about American Royal Horse Show, Kansas City history, UKC Radio Choir Choral Program, and community theatres.