Missouri
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Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas to the south, and Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska to the west. In the south are the Ozarks, a forested highland that provides timber, minerals, and recreation. The Missouri River, after which the state is named, flows through the center into the Mississippi River, forming the eastern border. With more than six million residents, it is the 19th-most populous state in the country. The largest urban areas are St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia; the capital is Jefferson City.
Humans have inhabited what is now Missouri for at least 12,000 years. The Mississippian culture, which emerged by at least the ninth century, built cities and mounds before declining in the 14th century. When European explorers arrived in the 17th century, they encountered the Osage and Missouria nations. The French incorporated the territory into Louisiana, founding Ste. Genevieve in 1735 and St. Louis in 1764. After a brief period of Spanish rule, the United States acquired Missouri as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Americans from the Upland South, including enslaved African Americans, rushed into the new Missouri Territory. Missouri was admitted as a slave state under the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Many settlers from Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee established homes in the Boonslick area of Mid-Missouri. Soon after, significant German immigration formed the Missouri Rhineland.
Missouri played a central role in the westward expansion of the United States, as memorialized by the Gateway Arch. The Pony Express, Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail, and California Trail all originated in Missouri. As a border state, Missouri's role in the American Civil War was complex, marked by rival governments, raids, and guerrilla warfare. After the war, both Greater St. Louis and the Kansas City metropolitan area became centers of industrialization and business. Today, the state is divided into 114 counties and the independent city of St. Louis.
Missouri's culture blends elements of the Midwestern and Southern United States. It is the birthplace of the musical genres ragtime, Kansas City jazz, and St. Louis blues. The well-known Kansas City-style barbecue and the lesser-known St. Louis-style barbecue can be found across the state and beyond. Missouri is a major center of beer brewing and has some of the most permissive alcohol laws in the U.S. It is home to Anheuser-Busch, the world's largest beer producer. It also produces an eponymous wine made in the Missouri Rhineland and Ozarks. Outside the state's major cities, popular tourist destinations include the Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake, and Branson.
Well-known Missourians include Chuck Berry, Sheryl Crow, Walt Disney, Edwin Hubble, Nelly, Brad Pitt, Harry S. Truman, and Mark Twain. Some of the largest companies based in the state include Cerner, Express Scripts, Monsanto, Emerson Electric, Edward Jones, H&R Block, Wells Fargo Advisors, Centene Corporation, and O'Reilly Auto Parts. Well-known universities in Missouri include the University of Missouri and Saint Louis University, as well as Washington University in St. Louis. Missouri has been called the "Mother of the West" and the "Cave State," but its most famous nickname is the "Show Me State."
Etymology
The state is named for the Missouri River, which was named after the indigenous Missouri Indians, a Siouan-language tribe. It is said they were called the ouemessourita (wimihsoorita), meaning "those who have dugout canoes," by the Miami-Illinois language speakers. In the language of the Miami-Illinois' close neighbors, the Ojibwe, it could mean "You Ought to Go Downriver & Visit Those People."
Attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ Community in Missouri
Attitudes toward LGBTQ+ individuals in Missouri are shaped by a complex interplay of evolving public opinion, limited legal protections, and significant challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth.
- Public Opinion
Public support for LGBTQ+ rights in Missouri has gradually increased. According to a 2017 Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) poll, 58% of Missouri residents supported same-sex marriage, while 65% favored laws protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing. However, 54% opposed allowing small businesses to refuse services to LGBTQ+ people based on religious beliefs.
- Legal Protections and Legislative Landscape
Missouri lacks comprehensive statewide nondiscrimination laws that explicitly protect individuals based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The Missouri Nondiscrimination Act, aimed at addressing this gap, has been introduced repeatedly over the past two decades but has yet to be enacted pass.
- In 2023, Missouri enacted legislation banning transgender athletes from participating in sports teams that align with their gender identity. This law is set to expire in 2027. Additionally, Missouri's hate crime statutes explicitly include both sexual orientation and gender identity, providing some legal recourse for victims of bias-motivated crimes.
- LGBTQ+ Youth Experiences
LGBTQ+ youth in Missouri face significant challenges. A 2024 survey by The Trevor Project found that nearly 40% of LGBTQ+ youth in Missouri and Kansas seriously considered suicide in the past year, with 15% having attempted it.
- A 2022 survey indicated that 57% of LGBTQ+ youth in Missouri reported experiencing discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Additionally, 13% had been threatened with conversion therapy, and 7% had undergone such practices.
- The political climate has also impacted families; a 2023 survey revealed that 40% of parents of LGBTQ+ youth in Missouri were considering relocating due to concerns over their children's mental health and safety.
- Despite these challenges, there are ongoing efforts to support the LGBTQ+ community in Missouri. Cities like Kansas City and Columbia have declared themselves sanctuary cities for transgender individuals, aiming to provide safer environments and affirming resources.
Faith leaders, such as Reverend Susan Shumway, are actively advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, challenging discriminatory policies, and promoting inclusivity within religious communities.
- Conclusion
While public support for LGBTQ+ rights in Missouri is growing, the state still faces significant hurdles in terms of legal protections and the well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly youth. Continued advocacy and community efforts are essential to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment.
History of the Missouri Flag
The Missouri State Flag features a design of three horizontal, equal-sized stripes in red, white, and blue, with the Missouri State Seal prominently displayed in the center. The seal depicts two grizzly bears standing on their hind legs, one on either side of a smaller circular shield that they are supporting. The shield includes the US coat of arms on the right side. The left side of the circular shield is split into two sections: the top section has a blue background with a silver crescent moon, while the bottom section has a red background with a white silhouette of a grizzly bear. The crescent moon symbolizes the small population and economic power of Missouri at the time of its inception; like the moon, the state would grow soon thereafter. The shield is surrounded by a golden belt emblazoned with black text reading, "United We stand, Divided We fall." This motto reflects the theme of the United States as a collective of states unified into a stronger entity. Below the circular shield is a golden banner supporting the two bears. The banner features black text with the state motto, "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto," which translates to, "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law." Underneath the banner are the Roman numerals, "MDCCCXX," signifying 1820, the year the state began operating independently. Above the bears is a cloud formation containing 23 small stars and one large star, representative of Missouri as the 24th state to join the United States. The seal is encircled by a blue ring containing another 24 stars, which again represent Missouri as the 24th state of the United States of America. The blue color on the flag represents the enduring vigilance and justice of the state, while the red signifies valor and purity. The Missouri State Flag was designed by Mary Elizabeth Oliver, wife of former State Senator R.B. Oliver and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was adopted on March 22, 1913.
Missouri is located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America and shares borders with Tennessee, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. The capital city is Jefferson City, and the largest city is Kansas City. Missouri is often referred to as "The show-me-state." This name may pay homage to a famous quote attributed to Missouri Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver, where he mentioned that, "I am from Missouri. You have got to show me."
Indigenous peoples, including the Native American tribes of the Osage, Missouri, and Illini, resided in the area that is now Missouri for thousands of years before the French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet became the first Europeans to reach the area in 1673. Shortly after the French discovered the area, French explorer Robert de La Salle traveled there and claimed the land for France in 1682 as part of Louisiana. The area of Missouri was slowly developed after the French discovered it, including the small settlements of Fort Orleans, which was built in 1724, and the city of St. Louis, which was established in 1764.
In 1762, the Spanish gained control of the area until France reclaimed it in 1800. The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 made Missouri part of the Louisiana Territory in the United States until the establishment of the Missouri Territory in 1812. Missouri became the 24th official state of the United States of America on August 10, 1821.
External links
- Wikipedia article: Missouri
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