Harry Truman Returns to Jackson County Missouri as President Kansas City Motorcade

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The Kansas City Star and the Kansas City Call, the city's African American newspaper, covered President Truman's motorcade procession to Independence via the streets of Kansas City. Well wishers, both black and white, lined the streets to welcome him home and it was quite a spectacle. 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.

Preceding Truman's Cadillac phaeton convertible were a series of four newsreel cameras that captured the entire homecoming. The entourage then made its way from the federal courthouse to 15th and Grand where they turned towards Independence.

The President's motorcade was met by Mike Eichenberger, owner of a vacuum cleaner shop located at 15th and Grand and fellow American Legion member who shouted out "Hello Harry" and on the third shout President Truman responded: "Hello there Mike!" The motorcade then passed 15th and Troost at 1:59 p.m. and continued on to Independence.

The Kansas City Call observed: "Negro citizens of these two cities (Kansas City and Independence) joined other citizens in giving President Truman a rousing welcome. Negroes stood all along the parade route from the Fairfax airport, over the intercity viaduct, along sixth street trafficway to Grand, north on Grand to 15th street and out 15th to Independence. The largest groups of Negroes were gathered along 15th street, between Troost and Brooklyn.