Efforts to marginalize Native Americans and their culture could not diminish their transformational impact on popular music, from the Delta blues and jazz to hip-hop. Native artists such as electric guitar pioneer Link Wray, whose instrumental hit “Rumble” was banned from radio, and Jimi Hendrix, who was part Cherokee, forever changed the trajectory of rock and roll.

The 2017 documentary Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World celebrates their influence, drawing perspective from a succession of contemporary stars who knew them, played with them, and were inspired by them. The Library and KCPT- Kansas City PBS screen the film as part of the Indie Lens Pop-Up community cinema initiative. Local Native American musicians join a subsequent discussion.

An all-Native band, The Red and Blues, performs during a reception before the event, which is co-presented by KCPT- Kansas City PBS and 90.9 The Bridge.