Harry Truman Returns to Jackson County Missouri as President Fairfax Airport Kansas City, Kansas

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The President's plane landed at the Fairfax Airport in Kansas City, Kansas, around 1:30 C.S.T. on June 27, 1945. He had just returned from San Francisco where he had signed the United Nations Charter that committed the United States to support the newly created international body. Germany had surrendered on May 8, 1945, and the President was working through the armistice, but war still waged on in the Pacific, with the focus on Japan. While much of the weight of the world was on Truman's shoulders when he emerged from the airplane in Kansas City, Kansas, he was pleased to be back home in Jackson County for the first time as President of the United States.

Jackson County and the communities of Independence and Kansas City had spent several weeks preparing for the visit. Both communities had acquired bunting and organized welcoming committees that greeted the president and kept him busy during his brief stay back home. On June 27th his home community of Independence welcomed him back with multiple celebrations, meetings, and dinners. June 28th was Kansas City's day to celebrate his homecoming. On the 28th he spent time greeting all kinds of "customers," his constituents as he called them, at his office in downtown Kansas City, including a group of African American leaders from the area. He made brief remarks at the 50th anniversary celebration of the University of Kansas City school of law gathering and later that evening accepted an honorary doctorate from the school.

President Truman emerged from the plane dressed in a double-breasted gray suit and his daughter, Margaret, was the first to greet him after they deplaned followed by his brother, Vivian, and Mayor of Independence, Roger Sermon.

All four took their place in a gray Cadillac phaeton convertible and the procession slowly began its journey to Independence via the streets of Kansas City, Missouri.

The Kansas City Star and the Kansas City Call, the city's African American newspaper, covered the procession and it was quite a spectacle. A large contingent of well wishers had gathered at the Fairfax gate and greeted the President immediately. The motorcade made its way onto the Intercity viaduct and then onto the Sixth street trafficway. From there, well wishers greeted the president on Grand Avenue and south towards the business district and then up the hill towards Eighth Street, where Truman had an office in the United States federal courthouse.

The motorcade did not stop but pressed on to Independence via 15th street, which connected Kansas City with Independence.