It is time for Kansas City to recognize The Barbecue King and name our gateway to the world Henry Perry International Airport.

For the better part of a century, Kansas City has been synonymous with world-class barbeque.  Go anywhere in the world and mention our city and the first thing that comes to mind for many is barbeque.  Incredibly, Kansas City's reputation as "BBQ Capital of the World" can be traced back to one man - Henry Perry.

In 1910, Henry Perry opened the city’s, and by some accounts the nation’s, first barbeque restaurant.  Self-dubbed as “The Barbecue King”, Perry’s restaurant was incredibly popular.  As a black man, Perry’s barbeque transcended several of the city’s racial and socio-economic divides.  He was a man who believed in giving back to the community and famously provided free meals for children and the elderly.

When Perry died, he left his restaurant to Charlie Bryant who later sold the restaurant to his brother Arthur.  Another Perry apprentice, Arthur Pinkard, was instrumental in the opening of Gates Bar-B-Q.  In the age of gastro-tourism, our city has become an international destination for barbeque.  We have more BBQ joints per capita than any other city and we host the American Royal World Series of Barbecue - the largest BBQ competition in the world!

None of this happens without Henry Perry.  And sadly, nothing in this city bears the name of the man who gave us our greatest reputation.  When we think of all the great Kansas City barbeque restaurants, none of them exist without Henry Perry! 

So as we open a brand new airport, why stick it with the same boring old name.  We have an opportunity to use this as an opportunity to honor an often-overlooked Kansas City and African-American icon.  Why not name our gateway to the world after the one thing the world knows us for?  If Rome can name their airport for DaVinci, why shouldn't we similarly name ours for one of our greatest artists? 

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