Opening for the Black Movie Hall of Fame delayed, but celebration still planned

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A dream to honor Black movie stars will take a little longer than expected, but as they say, “the show must go on.”

Renovations to transform the Boone Theater in Kansas City’s 18th and Vine District officially began more than a year ago. The building has been many things since it first opened. Its next plot twist will be the home of the Black Movie Hall of Fame.

A gala to celebrate its opening had been planned for next month. That celebration will have to wait a year as supporters handle some unexpected setbacks.

“Last year presented several hurdles that we just couldn’t clear — construction delays, lack of significant fundraising and federal administrative changes as it relates to grant funding," Shawn Edwards, director for the Black Hall of Fame, said in a social media post.

Edwards said the work will continue and the attraction is still expected to be open by June.

That date is key for the project. It will allow fans traveling to Kansas City for the World Cup the chance to step inside and learn about Black actors and the impact they’ve had on Hollywood and American culture.

Movie fans will still gather at the Boone Theater next month. The event will be a launch event instead of the original gala, but there will still be a celebration.

The event on Feb. 28, will feature a conversation with Edwards as he talks about his decades-long career as a film critic who grew up in Kansas City. More information about that event can be found through the Black Movie Hall of Fame.