Theron Watkins Father of Bruce R Watkins Kansas City, Missouri

Theron Watkins (1877-1950), or T.B. Watkins, a prominent African American of Kansas City and father of local politician Bruce Watkins. Watkins was born near Indianapolis and came to Kansas City in 1909 as an undertaker and soon co-founder of Watkins Brothers Funeral Home at 1729 Lydia Avenue, which became “one of the most successful black businesses in Kansas City”. He became a leader and activist in the community starting in the 1910s and candidate for city alderman in 1921 and the Missouri legislature in 1944.

Excerpt taken from “Take Up the Black Man’s Burden: Kansas City’s African American Communities, 1865-1939″ (Hardcover)
by Charles E. Coulter (Author)

Popularity: 14% [?]

1,895 views