ESU Special Collections and Archives will host “Children of the Promised Land,” a presentation and discussion by Angela Bates, on Tuesday, March 28 at 7 p.m. in the Learning Commons of William Allen White Library. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program, which is made possible by Humanities Kansas. Additional funding for this program was provided by the ITC Great Plains.
Nicodemus, a small, unincorporated town in Graham County, is the only remaining western town established by African Americans during the Reconstruction Period following the Civil War. Black homesteaders settled the town, which today is a National Historic Site. This pictorial history explores the unique experience of mothers and their children in Nicodemus, some of whom were the first members of their families born free.
Bates is the executive director and past president of the Nicodemus Historical Society. She presents educational programs across the nation covering Nicodemus, Exodusters and Black towns in the West, Buffalo Soldiers and Black women in the West.
“My great uncle, Henry Williams, was the first baby born in Nicodemus just a month after my great-grandmother Emma arrived with the first group of settlers in 1877,” said Bates. “He was one of the first in his generation born on the free soils of Kansas. He represents the many children of his generation that were reared by parents who were former slaves.”
“Children of the Promised Land” is part of Humanities Kansas's Speakers Bureau and “21st Century Civics,” a collection of resources that invite Kansans to participate in community discussions and learn more about the history of American democracy and the shared responsibilities of citizenship. “21st Century Civics” is made possible with support from “A More Perfect Union: America at 250,” an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information about this event, contact Special Collections and Archives at 620-341-5676.
About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit leading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.