Children of the Promised Land - Nicodemus, KS

Nicodemus, a small unincorporated town in Graham County, is the only remaining western town that was established by African Americans during the Reconstruction Period following the Civil War. Today the town is a National Historica Site. This pictorial history explores the unique experiences of the mothers and their children in Nicodemus, some of whom were the first members of their families born free from the physical and psychological effects of slavery. The discussion will explore the dynamics of child-rearing during and after slavery, stories of children conceived in slavery but born free, and how baby names were changed or used to reflect attitudes about free-born children