Prairie Journal

Prairie Journal is a rare opportunity on public radio. You'll hear a variety of speeches, lectures, panel discussions and community forums on timely and topical issues, recorded at venues throughout the KPR listening area. Speakers featured have included President Bill Clinton, syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and poet/essayist Andrei Codrescu. Subscribe to Prairie Journal via your favorite podcast platform.

Dennis Garcia: Las Madres

Kaye McIntyre

Las Madres is the inspiring true story of three generations of Mexican-American women in Kansas. It recently won three medals at the International Latino Book Awards and was named a Kansas Notable Book.
Kansas History Museum to Reopen

The Kansas Museum of History is set to reopen November 22nd after a three year renovation. We get a sneak peek at the Museum with Museum Director Sarah Bell. Also, Eric Meyer of the Marion County Record from his 2024 William Allen White National Citation speech. Marion County was recently ordered to pay a $3 million settlement in connection from the 2023 raid on the newspaper and the homes of several of its staff.

Prairie Journal

2025 Kansas Legislative Preview

Kaye McIntyre

Kansas lawmakers kick off their 2025 session this week. We preview the session with KPR Statehouse Bureau Chief Daniel Caudill, and look back at the November elections that got us here with highlights from the Dole Institute of Politics Post-Election Conference.
Prairie Journal

Kansas Poet Laureate Traci Brimhall

Kansas Poet Laureate Traci Brimhall joins us to talk about poetry and to challenge listeners to write their own "Dear Kansas" letter-poem in celebration of Kansas Day.
Prairie Journal

KPR Presents Book Club: Parable of the Sower

Kaye McIntyre

Climate change, economic collapse, coming of age... set in the year 2024. The KPR Presents Book Club discusses Octavia Butler's groundbreaking Parable of the Sower.
Prairie Journal

A KPR Christmas Carol

Join the Ghosts of KPR Staff Past and Present as they read Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol.
Prairie Journal

Ngiem Tran, YWCA, Nikki Giovanni

Kaye McIntyre

Kansas Notable author Nghiem Tran talks about his haunting novella, We're Safe When We're Alone. Plus, we remember poet Nikki Giovanni who passed away December 9, 2024.
Prairie Journal

MTKC Stages Premiere of "SugarPlum"

Kaye McIntyre

It's a preview of the world premiere of SugarPlum, a new Nutcracker-inspired musical created by David Gomez and Julie Danielson. SugarPlum is playing at Music Theatre Kansas City from December 13-22.
Prairie Journal

The Story of KU's Jayhawk: Rebecca Schulte

Kaye McIntyre

A book for all you KU fans! Rebecca Ozier Schulte is the author of "The Jayhawk: The Story of the University of Kansas' Beloved Mascot." Her conversation with KPR's Kaye McIntyre is part of our 2024 Kansas Notable Book series.
Prairie Journal

Journalist Bill Kurtis, 2024 Dole Lecture

Kaye McIntyre

Legendary newsman, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me scorekeeper, and KANU alum Bill Kurtis looks back at his 60-plus career in broadcasting in this year's Dole Lecture at the Dole Institute of Politics.
Prairie Journal

Sarah Brightman Brings Christmas Show to KC

Kaye McIntyre

Best-selling soprano Sarah Brightman is bringing her "Christmas Symphony" tour to Kansas City's Midland Theater this weekend. She previews the November 30th show with Kaye McIntyre.
Prairie Journal

Interior Chinatown

Kaye McIntyre

We dig into the book behind the new Hulu series, Interior Chinatown. It's a conversation with Polli Kenn of the Lawrence Public Library and Dr. David Mai of KU's Department of Film and Media Studies.