Black Towns Project Archive

Black Towns Project Archive This archive supports the Black Towns Project - an effort to preserve and promote the stories of over 200 historically black towns in the United States.

The Black Towns Project is an effort to preserve and promote the continued study of these crucial, and sometimes forgotten, stories from America’s past. We invite you to browse our Black Towns Index (categorized by state and town) on the website and explore the history of these important town-building efforts. This site is still under construction, but the complete list of towns by state is availa

ble to browse. The Black Towns Project will continue to add information and town histories, and invites those who do not see a town on the list to submit it through our Submit a Black Town page. If you would like to moderate a black town page, please visit our Moderate a Black Town’s Page to sign-up.

06/19/2026

Anyone with an internet connection can volunteer to transcribe historical documents and help make the archives' digital catalog more accessible

06/19/2026

For well over a century in African American communities, “red drink” has referred to a variety of highly sweetened, ruby-colored drinks with a berry-citrus flavor profile. Discover the obscure roots of a centuries-old beverage that’s now a Juneteenth fixture: https://bit.ly/4eQs7OO

📸: Alamy

06/18/2026

"The Nicodemus colony almost unanimously make final proof on their claims next Wednesday the 25th Inst. For six long years they have held to their claims, and will secure a title to their land."

- The Hill City Reveille, March 20, 1885

Many early Nicodemus settlers eagerly claimed up to 160 acres of land through the Homestead Act of 1862. Locating in the countryside surrounding Nicodemus, these homesteaders set to work meeting the guidelines to eventually "prove up" and own their homestead claims.

The nearest land office to file for and prove up on these claims was in Kirwin, Kansas, about 33 miles northeast of Nicodemus. Today, the drive to Kirwin is about 45 minutes. Before cars, walking or riding on horse to Kirwin would be an almost two-day trip.

Many homesteaders travelled in groups to the land office. Proving up on a homestead required having two witnesses testify for the homestead claimant. By traveling in groups, claimants could all testify for each other and fill out the final proof for their own homesteads at the same time.

On May 27th, The Hill City Reveille reported that 35 Nicodemus residents successfully made final proof on their homestead claims on the 25th. Their homesteads became part of the over 18,000 acres of land owned by Black Americans in Graham County, Kansas.



Photo: Yellow and brown train depot in Kirwin, Kansas.

06/07/2026

🎉 𝗧𝗵𝗲 148𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲! 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘀! 🎉

❤️ 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 & 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 — 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄! 📣

Excitement is building for the 148th Nicodemus Homecoming Emancipation Celebration!

📅 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟯𝟬 – 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
📍 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘂𝘀, 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘀

A memorable weekend of reconnecting with family and friends, celebrating our rich heritage, enjoying delicious food, great music, inspiring fellowship, and entertainment for all ages.

🌟 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿: 𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 🇺🇸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘂𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

💃🏽 Exciting plans are coming together, and there’s so much ahead!

👉🏽 Follow this page and visit our website for the official Homecoming agenda, special announcements, and event details:
🌐 www.nicodemushomecoming.org

Come experience one of Kansas's oldest and most treasured Emancipation celebrations—a tradition bringing generations together for nearly 150 years. ❤️

🙌🏽 WOO HOO! We can’t wait to welcome you home to Nicodemus!

05/05/2026

Job Posting Title Full-Time Temporary Grants Manager-Sulphur Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund Agency 350 HISTORICAL SOCIETY Supervisory Organization Historical Society–Preservation Job Posting End Date Refer to the date listed at the top of this posting, if available. Continuous i...

05/02/2026
05/02/2026

The Langston University Rehabilitation Counseling Program has been named one of the Top 10 rehabilitation counseling graduate programs and the Top HBCU program in the nation by U.S. News and […]

05/02/2026

We need historians because there is always more than one side to the story.

Historians bring together voices, experiences, and perspectives that are often left out or overlooked. Their work helps us see complexity rather than simple answers.

That fuller picture leads to deeper understanding.

What perspective has changed how you understand the past?

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