History of the KC Heart

How the heart became the symbol for KC
Kansas City has been home to a number of celebrity artists, designers, performers and athletes. Check out some of our more notable homegrown celebrities.

The KC Heart may be known for its iconic appearance on Charlie Hustle T-shirts and its use in the new Parade of Hearts art campaign, but Kansas City’s love affair with the heart symbol actually began more than a century ago.

The Heart of America map
A promotional map from the early 1920s showing rail travel destinations, travel times and ticket prices from Union Station in Kansas City. 

According to multiple sources, Halford Mackinder, a British geographer, coined the term heartland in 1904 to refer to the heart of the Eurasian landmass: a strategic center of industry, natural resources and power. The use of the term heartland to apply to the American Midwest became common sometime in the early 20th century, and Kansas City was one of the first Midwestern towns to embrace the idea of being located in the “heart” of America.

History of the KC Heart
Iterations of the KC Heart throughout history on logos, symbols and pins.

The heart soon became an ingrained part of Kansas City culture. Railroad workers wore KC Heart pins in the early 1900s to signify the town they called home. The symbol was later engraved in steel on light poles in the Country Club Plaza shopping district in the '50s and '60s.

And when the Kansas City Monarchs Negro Leagues baseball team donned the KC Heart patch on their sleeves, the team’s civic pride was on full display as they went on to achieve championship victory in 1942.

KC Heart patch on NLBM uniforms
Negro Leagues Baseball team, the Kansas City Monarchs, donned the KC Heart patch on their uniforms in 1942.

Inspired by the rich heritage of the heart, the Charlie Hustle brand began selling its signature KC Heart T-shirts in 2011. Since then, more than 1 million of the shirts have been worn by people across the globe, including major celebrities, and the heart is world-renowned as the calling card for the entire two-state region we call KC Heartland.

Check out a few of the people who represent the spirit of the KC Heart in our Hearts & Minds feature section.