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Before Danny O’Neill moved to Kansas City in 1991—before he founded The Roasterie in ’93, grew it into a staple of the KC coffee scene, and sold it in 2020—he was an Iowa farm kid. His family read often, was politically engaged, and revered Democratic leaders like presidents John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman.
O’Neill, a lover of museums and history, first visited the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum in the early ’90s—to serve coffee. This started his longstanding admiration and support of the institution. This year, he was named honorary chair (along with his wife, Carla) for Wild About Harry, the Truman Library Institute’s annual fundraising event supporting the library’s civic education programs.
We spoke with O’Neill about Truman, the library and museum that preserve his legacy, and what it can teach future generations.
This conversation is edited for length and clarity.
You and Harry Truman have a fair bit in common. When did you first realize you were Wild about Harry?
Growing up, my parents were really involved in Democratic politics, and my mom was a local Democratic chairwoman when I was young—so Truman, Kennedy, Roosevelt—they had high statures in our family. I also worked on farms growing up, and I loved that Truman was a farmer and that he was just kind of a plain-Jane Midwesterner.
I got transferred to Kansas City in ’91, and then I think my first visit to Truman Library was in 1993 or 1994. We met the director at the time at one of the charity events where we were serving coffee, and we struck up a conversation with him and really liked him.
Growing up, you know some stuff about Truman, but, oh boy, once you go into the Truman Library, you learn so much more. Every time I go there, I learn more and more. It’s fascinating, and it’s overwhelming sometimes. It’s so awesome that it’s local, so you don’t feel stressed out that you’re not getting everything in one visit.
Do you have a favorite quote or leadership lesson from Harry Truman?
There’s a bunch. I would say accountability, work ethic, and doing the right thing. Whether it was building county roads or auditing the companies doing business with the government during the war, making sure the government didn’t get ripped off—I mean, Truman just leaned in so hard to everything he was doing, and he did it the right way.
And I loved his famous quote, “The buck stops here.” He owned it, good, bad, indifferent. He was a tough self-critic.
There are so many worthy causes to support in Kansas City. Why is supporting the Truman Library and Wild About Harry so important to you?
Their mission is probably more important than it’s ever been. I love helping to keep the image and history and reputation of Truman alive and well for people. For younger kids and students to see what a real and strong leader is like, and then to draw hope and inspiration from what Truman went through during his time as president.
Sometimes you look at everything that’s going on right now and you think, “Oh my god, this is overwhelming, nobody can handle it.” Well, the issues during World War II were bigger and heavier and more stressful than they are today—so if the kids can see Truman as a leader and learn what he was like, I think that can offer hope and inspiration. I know it can.
What is the importance of history—both collecting it and communicating it to the public?
Oh, my god. I mean, if we don’t learn from history, it’s like having no RAM memory. If we don’t know history and learn from it, we’re bound to repeat these ridiculous, costly, horrific mistakes, whether they be war or government policies. I think it’s critical to the long-term survival of our democracy, I really do.
Wild About Harry will be held on Thursday, April 24, at Muehlebach Tower at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Tickets are available now.