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thelibrary.org Springfield-Greene County Library District Springfield, Missouri
Local History

Missouri's Bicentennial

This year marks the 200th anniversary of Missouri attaining statehood. The Missouri Humanities Council and the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy have partnered to develop a traveling exhibit that explores the struggles and controversies surrounding the admittance of Missouri into the Union.

The exhibit is scheduled to be on display at the Library Center July 7-August 6, 2021. In the meantime, the virtual exhibit is available online.

Want to learn more about Missouri’s struggle for statehood? Check out:

Wolf by the ears: the Missouri crisis, 1819-1821 by John R. Van Atta

The genesis of Missouri: from wilderness outpost to statehood by
William E. Foley

Missouri: the sesquicentennial of statehood; an exhibition in the
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., December 15, 1971, to September
4, 1972
prepared by Arthur G. Burton and Leonard C. Faber.

The image above is from George Catlin's book North American Indians, first published in 1841. It depicts three Osage braves who were close friends, Ko-ha-tunk-a (Big Crow), Nah-com-e-shee (Man of the Bed) and Mun-ne-pus-kee (He Who is not Afraid) [note: translations of names are by George Catlin.]

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