Leading the Way: Famous Kansans

To prove that their marriage was an equal partnership, Emanuel Julius and his wife Marcet Halderman chose to combine their last names. Emanuel trained as a journalist and worked for newspapers in Chicago before coming to Kansas in 1915. Born in Girard, Marcet Halderman was the niece of reformer Jane Addams. She became an actress after being educated in the East, but returned to Kansas to take over her father's bank business when he died. Following their marriage, Emanuel and Marcet purchased and ran the newspaper "Appeal to Reason" that supported socialism. They began to fulfill Emanuel's childhood dream--that everyone should afford the pleasure of reading by owning inexpensive books. The Halderman-Juliuses published a series of Little Blue Books, that sold for a nickel each, in addition to a monthly newspaper entitled "The American Freeman."

He never lived outside of Kansas, yet William Allen White achieved international fame for his hometown opinions. Fame came to White in response to his essay "What's the Matter with Kansas?" that sparked a Republican victory for Democratic candidates in the 1896 national election. White started his journalism career at age 11 when he was hired as a "printer's devil" to haul water, ink presses, sweep floors, and deliver newspapers. In later years White borrowed money to purchase the Emporia Gazette newspaper and settled into the community and political life of Emporia. White's newspaper articles covering state and national politics and international affairs achieved wide readership. Emporia became an important stop for politicans and national leaders seeking White's advice. White's image on a U.S. postage stamp was one of the most prominent awards he earned during his career. Few newspapermen receive this honor.

It was a typical June afternoon in Kansas. Suddenly the weather changed. A tornado dipped out of the sky and began its path of destruction across Topeka. Bill Kurtis knew he had to select his words carefully so that the television viewers would take immediate action, yet he wanted to avoid panic. In a calm, but deliberate voice Kurtis stated simply, "For God's sake, take cover." That 1966 tornado changed his life as he discovered television's power to impact people's lives on a much larger scale. Throughout his broadcast career Kurtis has served as an on-air news correspondent and reporter in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Recent projects include The New Explorers with Bill Kurtis, a classroom educational series focusing on scientists who pursue the adventure of discovery.