Institutions across the country are commemorating America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, and this spring, some of the country’s most significant historical documentary are on display at one of the Kansas City area’s leading museums.

In partnership with America 250, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum brings nearly two dozen critically important artifacts of American history to Independence with Opening the Vault: The Story of US. Many of the documents have never previously been on display beyond the National Archives.

Plus, many pieces have direct ties to the Kansas City region and President Truman’s decisions while in office, from the Missouri Compromise and the Brown v. Board of Education decision (originated in nearby Topeka) to Executive Order 9981 desegregating the U.S. Armed Forces.

Open through May 24, the treasured documents available to view at the Truman Library include:

  • Original Design of the Great Seal of the United States, 1782: The design is still in use after more than two centuries.
  • Treaty of Paris, 1783: The agreement ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.
  • Bill of Rights (Senate Revisions), 1789: The Senate’s early edits are seen in this document outlining America’s core freedoms.
  • Louisiana Purchase, 1803: This acquisition doubled the size of the United States.
  • Missouri Compromise, 1820: Tensions between free and slave states were negotiated with the terms established by the Missouri Compromise.
  • Compromise of 1850: Another effort to ease tensions between free and slave states was established as new territories were acquired after the Mexican-American War.
  • Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854: Effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise, the Kansas-Nebraska Act led to conflicts known as Bleeding Kansas—a precursor to the Civil War.
  • Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857: Citizenship for African Americans was denied with this Supreme Court decision.
  • Telegram Announcing the Surrender of Fort Sumter, 1861: As the U.S. Army surrendered Fort Sumter to Confederate forces, the American Civil War began.
  • Joint Resolution Proposing the Thirteenth Amendment, 1865: Ratified in December 1865, the resolution proposed the abolition of slavery in the United States.
  • Judgment in Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896: Segregation was determined to be constitutional in this Supreme Court decision, establishing the “separate but equal” doctrine.
  • President Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points Speech, 1918: The speech to Congress presented a blueprint for peace after World War I.
  • Manhattan Project Notebook, 1942: Handwritten notes detail the project that created the atomic bomb.
  • Surrender of Germany, 1945: With this document, World War II came to an end in Europe.
  • Executive Order 9981, 1945: President Harry S. Truman signed this order to desegregate the U.S. Armed Forces.
  • North Atlantic Treaty, 1949: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II, reshaping global security.
  • Armistice Agreement for the Restoration of the South Korean State, 1953: Active hostilities ceased and the Korean Demilitarized Zone was established.
  • Brown v. Board of Education, 1954: Originating in nearby Topeka, the landmark Supreme Court decision struck down prior “separate but equal” guidance.
  • Executive Order 10730: Desegregation of Central High School, 1957: President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent troops to enforce desegregation at a Little Rock high school.
  • Voting Rights Act of 1965: The right to vote was enacted with this foundational piece of legislation, dismantling barriers to democracy.
  • Joint Resolution Proposing the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, 1971: Following youth activism during the Vietnam War era, the voting age was lowered to 18.

Once you’ve had the chance to see these rare documents on display, there are opportunities to take a closer look at the events that produced them and find local ties throughout the region.

Keep reading for ways to follow history from the Truman Library to institutions across the Kansas City area.

Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum

After viewing the Manhattan Project Notebook, step upstairs to view a permanent display in the Truman Library that examines the day-to-day considerations made by the president in advance of his decision to use the atomic bomb.

The institution tells the complex story of President Truman’s standing as an advocate for progress. He met with a white supremacist group early in his political career and promoted segregated public housing as a senator. When he assumed the presidency, he went on to establish a committee on civil rights in 1946 and signed Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, to desegregate the U.S. military.

Explore all these stories, along with many more, at his library in Independence. Plus, this summer features a special sports-inspired exhibit, United We Play: Kicking it with the Trumans.

Inspired by Kansas City’s place as a FIFA World Cup 2026™ host city, the display features the Truman family’s personal ties to athletics in Kansas City and beyond, as well as an impressive collection of memorabilia from the city’s past and present sports franchises.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

After viewing Executive Order 9981, visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to learn about the monumental step in sports that predated the desegregation of the Armed Forces—and likely influenced Truman himself.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) dedicates itself to the legacy of Black baseball and its critical role in advancing American civil rights. In 1920, the Negro National League was founded inside Kansas City’s Paseo YMCA—a structure that still stands in the neighborhood, just across the street from the NLBM.

In the years and decades that followed, Negro League baseball became immensely popular, but broader patterns of discrimination continued. Fans who enthusiastically watched Black players on the field would often deny them service at restaurants, hotels and other establishments.

Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947 when he made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, eventually leading to full integration and the demise of the Negro Leagues, but the perseverance of many trailblazing athletes left a legacy that reshaped sports and American society forever.

National WWI Museum and Memorial

After examining President Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points Speech, visit the National WWI Museum and Memorial. Learn more about the global conflict that led to a new proposal for peaceful diplomacy.

The National WWI Museum and Memorial stands as the only American museum solely dedicated to preserving the objects, history and personal experiences of the Great War.

The museum also holds the most diverse collection of World War I objects and documents in the world. Guests can immerse themselves in these stories with interactive films, high-tech lighting and special effects, open storage of artifacts, and more.

Brown v. Board National Historic Park

After viewing the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, make a trip to Topeka and see the site where this landmark legal battle for equality began.

One hour west of downtown Kansas City, explore the moments that led to one of the most significant decisions ever made by U.S. court system. Brown v. Board of Education emerged from the Topeka school system, where teacher-turned-activist Lucinda Todd led 13 families to enroll their children in local white schools.

Their denial became the basis of a lawsuit that made its way to the Supreme Court, where judges unanimously chose to overrule the “separate but equal” doctrine previously established by Plessy v. Ferguson. The decision ended legal segregation of the American public school system, and while it led to intense resistance at sites across the country, it remains one of the most consequential actions in the country’s judicial history.

Visit the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park and step inside the Monroe School for a self-guided tour, which features a 30-minute introductory film, an exhibit detailing the long fight for racial equality in the U.S. school system and an exploration of the decision’s lasting impact.