Erik Stafford, born May 1969 is a native of Kansas City MO. He is married to Carla Stafford together they have three kids. He attended Raytown South High School and graduated in the class of 1987. After high school, Erik remained in Kansas City to attend Penn Valley Community College where he discovered history. Erik received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Central Missouri State University.

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He then returned to Kansas City and taught social studies at Genesis School for three years. At Genesis School, he and his students gave tours of the historic sites in the Kansas City area. It was also during this time that Erik published his first book of poetry Native Life which is a collection of poems and pictures. Erik received his Master of Arts Degree in Business at Webster University in Kansas City MO.

 

In 2009, Erik became sole proprietor of the Kansas City Tour Company and began conducting tours of the historic sites in the Kansas City area and creating interactive, historic slide show presentations, that allow people to make the connections between the past, present, and future through history. In May of 2017, Erik published Script From 12th to 18th Street a condensed, factual account of Jim Crow Segregation in the Heart of America. The New York Times featured Erik in their article On a Civil Rights Trail Essential Sights and Indelible Detours, August 6, 2018.