Paseo Ymca

1822-28 Paseo

Paseo YMCA

In 1900, the growing African American population of Kansas City led to the formation of a local YMCA by both African American and white civic leaders. Organization of the African American YMCA branch occurred two years later with headquarters at 914 E. 12th Street. A building campaign was begun in 1907 with a goal of $10,000 to construct a modem facility, and property was purchased in the 1800 block of The Paseo, a major thoroughfare one block west of the intersection of 18th and Vine Streets. This location was in the Paseo District, the most densely populated area of African American residents in the city.

The goal of $10,000 was soon reached and the YMCA moved into three small buildings on its property on The Paseo. Prominent physician. Dr. J. Edward Perry was the first chairman of the Board of Managers and he provided capable leadership in these early years. The YMCA soon outgrew its original buildings and began to examine ways to construct a new facility. In 1910, Jewish philanthropist Julius Rosenwald of Chicago announced that he would offer $25,000 to any city that would raise an additional $75,000 for a Negro YMCA building.

This challenge was met by Kansas City and in 1913 a ten-day subscription campaign raised $30,000 in the African American community while white residents donated $50,000. Construction began on a large four-story brick building which was completed in 1914. Named the Paseo YMCA, the building was sited facing The Paseo towards the 18th and Vine area.

Content Provided by

Kansas City Historic Preservation Office

Historic Photographs provided courtesy of

Kansas City Public Library, Missouri Valley Special Collections

YMCA membership was not restricted by race and African American branches of the organization were formed as early as 1853. For many years the Paseo YMCA was the only community enterprise in the city that African Americans supported and operated. The YMCA was run by an all-African American Committee of Management of twenty-one local residents who guided the day-to-day operation of the facility. During the 1920s and 1930s, it provided the only meeting place for clubs and study groups and the swimming pool was the only indoor pool available for the African American community. The building was open 24 hours each day and was the major social center for African American residents of Kansas City during these decades. By 1941, the YMCA provided community service to 162 groups which annually held 3,650 meetings in the building with total attendance estimated at over 76,000.