Author

Mark McCormick

Mark McCormick

Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum, a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission and deputy executive director at the ACLU of Kansas.

OPINION
A thanksgiving table with empty chairs

Reflection, celebration and fond memories should mark Thanksgiving season in Kansas

By: - November 27, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. My recent call to […]

OPINION
A prisoner behind bars with hands cuffed

Demand for ‘extreme safety’ presents its own dangers as Kansas elections approach

By: - October 16, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. Political pundits say some […]

OPINION
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, right, embraced Kansas Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes at an Aug. 2 primary election watch party in Overland Park. Davids won reelection to a third term Tuesday by defeating Republican Amanda Adkins. (Lily O'Shea Becker for the Kansas Reflector)

The fight against women’s erasure continues after Aug. 2 abortion vote

By: - September 11, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. The busloads of men […]

OPINION
Rep. Gail Finney, a Wichita Democrat, calls for improved accounting of maternal deaths during a news conference on Jan. 13, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka. Democrats announced Finney's death on Saturday. She was 63. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas Rep. Gail Finney fought for you. Now, it’s time to fight for her.

By: - September 1, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. If you knew Wichita […]

OPINION
The U.S. Supreme Court is shown June 21, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

This ‘father of affirmative action’ was a Kansan who lived in Junction City and Topeka

By: - August 21, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. The Supreme Court will […]

OPINION
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mass.) depart July 12, 2022, after the seventh hearing held by the select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol (Pool photo by Shawn Thew/Getty Images)

Troubling questions abound for Kansas police in wake of Jan. 6 Commission hearings

By: - July 17, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. A chief of police […]

OPINION
U.S. President Joe Biden signs the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in the East Room of the White House on June 17, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Juneteenth holiday marks the end of slavery in the United States. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

This Juneteenth, let’s redefine freedom as parity

By: - June 19, 2022

Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. As we approach our […]

OPINION

Some 68 years after Brown v. Board, similar foes continue stubbornly fighting progress

By: - May 15, 2022

The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. During a 2014 symposium […]

OPINION
The Kansas Fraternal Order of Police, writes Mark McCormick, isn’t accountable to citizens but wields enormous power to shield police officers from punishment for behavior that harms citizens. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

High-profile law enforcement cases spotlight role of Kansas Fraternal Order of Police

By: - April 10, 2022

The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. The Kansas Fraternal Order […]

OPINION

Kansas Sen. David Haley asks: Why hide our nation’s historical ‘Roots?’

By: - January 24, 2022

The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. Forty-five years ago this […]

OPINION

Does CRT make white students feel bad? Try being a Black student

By: - January 10, 2022

The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. Patrick recalled the horror […]

OPINION

Hummingbird made of steel: ‘Newsroom mom’ Jeannie Eblen blazed trails with relentless curiosity

By: - November 23, 2021

The Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. Jeannie Kyger Eblen […]