Since it's the first day of Black History Month I thought I'd present this little bit of trivia about Nicodemus, Kansas from the National Park Service:
An all Black Town settled by former slaves fleeing the south in 1877 after the Reconstruction Period had ended following the Civil war is located in the Northwest corner of Kansas. This living community is the only remaining all Black Town west of the Mississippi River that was settled in the 1800’s on the western plains by former slaves. The families of the original settlers continue to carry on their sense of hard work.
You can read more about Nicodemus and the western migration of African Americans and homesteading during the 19th century at the Library of Congress African American Mosaic website.
Photo of District No.1 Nicodemus School (now closed) from the National Park Service Digital Image Archives.
