Luther Smith, Quindaro champion and FFNHA trustee, passes away

By Johnny Szlauderbach

NEWS — JUN 16, 2025
Photo credit: Luke X. Martin/KCUR 89.3

Luther Smith, noted activist and long-time trustee of Freedom’s Frontier, passed away early Saturday morning.

Smith was born and raised in Quindaro, Kan., and attended the city’s Vernon School. He was a vocal supporter of the site’s preservation efforts and a leader in the years-long campaign to gain landmark designation for Quindaro Townsite from the National Park Service.

Smith held numerous distinguished positions, including curator and director of the Quindaro Underground Railroad Museum. He was a demonstrator and protester during the Civil Rights Era. Before his retirement, Smith built a career in the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Services will be announced at a later date.

This article will be updated.

Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) builds awareness of struggles for freedom in western Missouri and eastern Kansas. Established by Congress in 2006, FFNHA covers a unique physical and cultural landscape across 41 counties and 31,000 square miles. It promotes three diverse, interwoven, and nationally significant stories: frontier settlement, the Missouri-Kansas Border War and Civil War, and enduring civil rights disputes. FFNHA inspires respect for multiple perspectives and empowers area residents to preserve and share these stories, achieving its goals through interpretation, preservation, conservation, and education for all residents and visitors. It is one of 62 federally recognized National Heritage Areas across the United States.