JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — Education is a big part of Black History Month, and one Johnson County family has a history of fighting for education for the county's Black students.
The McCallop family history is on display at the Johnson County Museum.
"Education was always important because they knew that that was the way out of poverty, out of slavery, and the passport," Jessica McCallop-McClellan said of her family.
Her family's history spans back to fighting for their freedom in the Civil War, and eventually, the McCallops settled in the Shawnee area.
"They were prominent pillars in the community, providing agriculture and produce to the community," McCallop-McClellan said.
In 1934, schools were still segregated.
"Unfortunately, they could not go to the high school in Johnson County because of the color of their skin," she said.
So, McCallop-McClellan said her great-grandfather, Robert McCallop, provided help to Black students in Johnson County.
"He turned his agricultural truck into a makeshift bus to drive students — his very own children — from Johnson County to Wyandotte County," she said.
The need was so great that he established a bus company to serve other students.
“So, they would pass five white high schools before they could get to one, which was Sumner High School in Wyandotte County, because of the color of their skin," McCallop-McClellan said.
His fleet grew to 14 buses and many family members drove the buses. The family provided rides for students for 39 years, according to the Johnson County Museum.
But, their services didn't stop there.
“Our family legacy is from slavery to school buses to scholarships to service to all mankind," McCallop-McClellan said.
McCallop-McClellan's nonprofit, Giving Hope & Help, provides scholarships for metro-area students, and two of the scholarships are in her family's name.
High school seniors interested in the Giving Hope & Help scholarships can learn more here.
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KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.