In the season finale of Archiver: Queen Bey from KCK, we return to the historic Gem Theater, where Queen Bey—at 83—sings “Misty” in a pandemic-era tribute concert. Though the crowd is sparse, the emotion is rich.

This episode reflects on Queen’s final years, her role as a mentor, and her unwavering commitment to Kansas City jazz. Through intimate stories from Kelley Hunt, Curtis Smith, Chuck Haddix, and Kevin Willmott, we see Queen not just as a performer, but as a teacher, a champion of women in jazz, and a spiritual guide to younger artists.

 Her generosity, grit, and refusal to give up defined her life. In her own words, she was “a soldier,” and her legacy is one of courage, joy, and deep musical truth.

In this episode, we follow Queen’s journey across continents—from singing in Saudi Arabia and performing for royalty in Bahrain to captivating audiences in Germany, Costa Rica, and beyond.

Despite early struggles in California, Queen Bey found her voice on the global stage and eventually returned home to Kansas City, where she flourished. Named Kansas City Jazz Ambassador in 1980, she became a fixture in the city’s vibrant jazz and theater scenes, mentoring young artists and performing in productions like Ain’t Misbehavin’.

Through interviews with Kevin Willmott and Chuck Haddix, we see how Queen’s international experiences and hometown pride shaped her final chapter.

Queen Bey wasn’t just a singer—she was a natural-born performer whose acting career added another layer to her story. In this episode, we explore her work on stage and screen.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott reflects on Queen’s soulful presence and instinctive talent, and how he wrote roles specifically for her in films like Ninth Street,Confederate States of America, The Only Good Indian and Jayhawkers.

Musician Kelley Hunt recalls her emotional depth and raw honesty, especially in live performances. Whether gleefully cursing on screen or singing “Motherless Child” with heartbreaking intensity, Queen Bey epitomized a powerful life experience in every performance.

Queen Bey’s artistry didn’t emerge in a vacuum—it was nurtured by a rich musical legacy rooted in Kansas City, Kansas.

In this episode, we trace the deep cultural and educational foundations that shaped her, from ragtime pioneer Charles Johnson to the groundbreaking music programs at Sumner High School and Western University, the first historically Black college west of the Mississippi.

Historian Curtis Smith and music expert Chuck Haddix reveal how KCK’s unique blend of classical training, gospel, and jazz created a fertile ground for Black excellence in music. Queen Bey inherited this artistry and carried it to the stage, screen, and Broadway, standing on the shoulders of legends like Eva Jessye, Etta Moten Barnett, and Nora Holt.

Queen Bey’s musical genius emerged early—so early, in fact, that she wrote a sultry R&B hit for Linda Hopkins while still a teenager.

In this episode, we explore Queen’s formative years as a songwriter and performer, shaped by the legendary club scene of Kansas City’s 18th and Vine. From jazz ballads to blues shouts, Queen Bey absorbed the styles of the greats and made them her own.

Through interviews with fans like musician Kelley Hunt and KCUR’s Chuck Haddix, we learn how Queen’s hardscrabble upbringing and fierce determination forged her into a consummate entertainer.

In this premiere episode, we meet Queen Bey—born in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1937—via the final interview she gave before she died in 2024.

Raised in a Muslim household in a segregated city, Queen Bey found her calling in music early, performing in legendary Kansas City clubs by age 12. She crossed paths with icons like Billie Holiday and Richard Pryor, but she never had an agent who could launch her into national stardom.

Despite the challenges of single motherhood, discrimination and poverty, she became a vibrant performer and mentor.

In many states teachers are being attacked by politicians who oppose public education. In many states trans people are being attacked by politicians for, well, who really knows.

So imagine you’re a transgender, public school teacher. How hard is that? In this episode we find out from Riley Long, a trans high school teacher in Kansas.

Chances are whatever you know about trans issues in education came from reporters who cover the issue. The best education reporting starts with students and works its way out to larger issues.

Few things have complicated education reporting more than trans issues. The reporting is complicated by state lawmakers and school board members who use it as a campaign issue.

On this issue, we speak with veteran reporter and editor Barb Shelly who has been a journalist in Kansas City for decades.

With everything else they must deal with…law enforcement, taxes and economic development…state legislators spend an enormous amount of time on transgender issues in education.

Why, is the most important question but also, are we done watching endless debates on trans students in statehouses?

On this episode, we hear from Missouri state Sen. Greg Razor, a Democrat from Kansas City and the only openly gay member of the state senate.

It’s hard enough being the parent of a middle school student. But now your child comes out as trans and you have to navigate the school district bureaucracy to make sure your child is safe. Add to that, many school board members lean towards anti-trans and that makes parenting even harder.

In this episode, we hear from Virginia Franzese from Leawood, Kansas. She has faced all of these problems and more.

There are few education topics more heated than transgender students. Should teachers use preferred pronouns? What restroom should trans kids use? And the question that generates the most heat: should kids be allowed to play sports on the teams they identify with?

In this episode, we ask two former school district superintendents how we got here. We hear from Cynthia Lane, former superintendent in the Kansas City, Kansas district and Bill Nicely, former superintendent in the Kearney, Missouri school district.