Black History Month: Nicodemus, Kansas

The Nicodemus National Historic Site preserves the last remaining western town established by African Americans following the Civil War. It was founded in 1877 by Reverend W.H. Smith, a black Minister, and W.R. Hill, a white land developer, along with five other black men. They traveled to churches encouraging people to move to Kansas. The town would grow to have two newspapers, three general stores, a small hotel, bank, and several churches. At its peak it reached 700 people. Eventually many members of the town moved away to be closer to the railway.

Descendants of the original settlers still live in the town today. The historic site provides an opportunity to learn about the town that brought the promise of being a place for "African Americans to establish a black self-government".

More information:

• Nicodemus National Historic Site
• Wikipedia