Walter Schroeder leads an examination of The WPA Guide to Missouri on Wednesday, September 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the Plaza Branch, 4801 Main St.

Published in 1941, the Missouri edition of the American Guide series remains an incredibly useful resource for contemporary travelers, especially those interested in out-of-the-way places. Its suggested tour routes are extremely detailed and based on careful fieldwork, not hearsay. The guide is still frequently cited by writers today and is considered a major reference work for Missourians. 

Schroeder is assistant professor emeritus of Geography at the University of Missouri. He co-authored a new introduction to The WPA Guide to Missouri published by the Missouri Historical Society in 1998.

The Federal Writers’ Project (FWP) helped define America and American literature by supporting literary talent during the Great Depression. In association with the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association, the Kansas City Public Library commemorates the 75th anniversary of this New Deal program with a series of free events throughout September and October 2009, including a screening of the documentary Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story.

Soul of a People programs at the Kansas City Public Library are sponsored by the American Library Association Public Programs Office with the support of the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life.