Forgotten Homesteads: The Prominent African American Homesteads of Nicodemus and DeWitty

This article was written by students from Nebraska Wesylean in collaboration with Homestead National Historical Park. Text and Research: Bryce Melis, Jared Gallub, Asa Erickson, and Jace Heckenlively.

It took a little under 75 years for the United States to complete its manifest destiny. This term was coined in 1845 by John L. Sullivan.[1] It articulated perfectly the rationale behind westward expansion and the completion of a nation “from sea to shining sea”. It was the country's destiny after all. Westward expansion had been on the minds of the American people long before though. The Louisiana Purchase kicked off the process. Then followed many other land claims, each adding more and more pressure to the government to come up with a plan on how to divide up each plot. Finally, In 1862, President Lincoln broke the ice by declaring a National Homestead Act[2]. The first American homestead was declared on January 1st 1863.[3] The courageous soul who laid claim to this land was Daniel Freeman, an American pioneer[4]. This would provide the impetus for the cascade of land claims that followed. The only requirement for any brave individual who dared move west, was that they would need to work the land for five years and prove that they established a functional homestead[5]. This may have seemed like a great deal, but working uncharted land was extremely difficult. Homesteaders were not prepared for the terrible winters and impossible soil. This crippled many homesteaders, who eventually turned right back around to head home in the east. This was not much of a possibility for African-American Homesteaders, who left the segregated east post civil war in search of freedom and equality. Two important African-American homestead towns are still present today, preserved to display how homesteaders from all backgrounds could break barriers and move the United States forward in history. These homesteads are found in Nicodemus, Kansas, and Dewitty, Nebraska.

Homecoming in the twenty-first century represents a football game and getting dressed up for a dance, but to Nicodemus, Kansas, Homecoming represents the celebration of 143 years of heritage and tradition.[6] This small town in northwest Kansas was founded by ex-slaves in 1877, just 13 years after the Emancipation Proclamation that freed all slaves in America.[7] “Formerly enslaved African Americans left Kentucky at the end of the post civil war reconstruction period to experience freedom in the ‘promise land' of Kansas.”[8] Nicodemus remains as the longest-lasting black settlement in the state of Kansas, and the only remaining western town established by black pioneers during the Reconstruction period.[9]

Post proclamation, 40,000 African Americans made their way to Kansas. Of these 40,000 people, 350 landed in Nicodemus, Kansas.[10] These brave souls made the decision to develop such a dangerous homestead. Unfortunately, the population fell as the town could not secure the railroad, which was a vital part in the prosperity of any town in the late 1800s. As of 2019, the population of this town is now just eleven people.[11]

Descendants from all over the United States, travel to Nicodemus during this “homecoming” to celebrate their heritage. The festivities stretch all the way from late July into early August which includes an Emancipation Day parade, and a general homecoming parade. Just last year, the governor of Kansas, Laura Kelly, was a special guest in attendance. She dedicated a church to the town in remembrance of its centuries long survival.

“It was my honor to celebrate the rich history, culture, and enduring spirit of Nicodemus almost 150 years after it was founded. It remains an enduring symbol of the promise of the state of Kansas and this country to ensure all people have access to freedom and opportunity.”[12]

Nicodemus has five major historical buildings.[13] One of these is the AME church.[14] This is the church dedicated by Governor Kelly in July. It is a symbol of unity throughout the town. The town is also home to another historical church: the historical first Baptist church.[15] Both churches were founded in the early days of the settlement, which can lead one to infer that religion played a pivotal part in the community of this storied town. Along with the churches, the town also boasts the St. Francis Hotel.[16] Also called the Fletcher Switzer house, this building “housed the post office, school, hotel, and stable”.[17] The addition of this building in 1880 boosted the town's popularity and helped move the town towards economic success. The school building and township hall round out the last of the historic buildings in Nicodemus.[18] All five of these buildings contributed to the understanding of Nicodemus as a national success story and historical site. In 1996, “The five historic buildings were declared the 355th unit of the National Park System,” by President Bill Clinton.[19]

DeWitty, Nebraska was home to the largest African American settlement in all of Nebraska.[20] Much like Nicodemus, it provided a new opportunity to develop a life through hardship and promise for the future. DeWitty was a homestead colony in Cherry County, Nebraska and was established in 1904 with the Kinkaid Act.[21] The Kinkaid Act, an expansion of the Homestead Act, allowed individuals to claim 640 acres of free land in the sandhills of Nebraska. Between 1907 and 1929, DeWitty residents had claimed fifty-six homesteads for a grand total of 29,402 acres.[22] Over the course of its inhabitance, an estimated 150 to 175 African American homesteaders lived in DeWitty, and reached its peak population of 150 in 1915. The settlement consisted of a church, store, barber-shop, three rural schools and a post office.[23]

Social life in DeWitty revolved around the St. James African Methodist Episocal (AME) Church, which was built in 1910.[24] Similar to Nicodemus, residents of DeWitty also celebrated Emancipation, but on the first Sunday of August. [25] This day was reserved for a big celebration and picnic for the DeWitty residents and nearby communities, consisting of a rodeo, a baseball game and featured speeches with food and games. [26] DeWitty had their own baseball team, the North Loup Sluggers, which competed with teams from surrounding communities.[27] Dewitty was eventually renamed Audacious, and ultimately disappeared. Homesteaders discovered that the sand ridden soil of south central Nebraska was not optimal for farming due rocky landscape.[28] This is why some would consider this area of Nebraska, as an eastern extension of the sandhills, which are found in northwest Nebraska.[29] DeWitty fared well during its early years, from 1900 to 1910, because of a wetter climate and higher crop prices, but as drier times returned, DeWitty farmers could not survive.[30] By 1936, all settlers of DeWitty had sold their land to ranchers and moved away. The last parcel still owned by DeWitty settler descendants was sold in 1993. The Nebraska State Historical Society installed a historic marker to commemorate the DeWitty settlement in 2016.

The story behind the making of these small towns in the midwest can often be forgotten. These courageous settlers embraced the difficulties that come with forging new territory with a blind eye. With imminent freedom, the Homestead Act offered a place of refuge and an opportunity for a new life. People from many backgrounds were ones to homestead. Nicodemus and DeWitty are both towns that represent the breakthrough for African American settlements. Through shared traditions and customs the people of these towns engaged in community gatherings to celebrate their accomplishments. These included things like parades for Independence Day and baseball games. These celebrations encompass the community aspect of pride through social gatherings.

A note from the authors:

We hope you enjoyed reading about two very important midwest homesteads in Nicodemus, and Dewitty/Audacious. Our names are Asa Erickson, Jared Gallub, Jace Heckenlively, and Bryce Melis. We put countless hours into research on this interesting topic in hopes of generating some sort of buzz around prominent homesteads that are seemingly forgotten in the 21st century. This was one task of our project. The task that our entire project was centered around was exploring homestead gatherings and their impact on the homesteads in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We had to bring this together with a social media/website aspect. This social media campaign would draw readers from Facebook and Instagram to view our work. We have two other articles published, Men and Women in Homestead Organizations, and Homesteaders during the Spanish Flu, and it would be greatly appreciated if you go check them out to learn some more about Homesteaders and their history.

References:

[1] The American Yawp Reader. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/manifest-destiny/john-osullivan-declares-americas-manifest-destiny-1845/.

[2] [3] [4] [5] National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d.). The Homestead Act of 1862. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/homestead-act.

[6] [7] [8] [9] History. Nicodemus Kansas Homecoming. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.nicodemushomecoming.org/nicodemus-kansas-homecoming-history.

[10] [11] U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Kansas: Nicodemus National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service). National Parks Service. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.nps.gov/articles/nicodemus.htm.

[12] [14] Higginbotham, A. (n.d.). Nicodemus holds 143rd Homecoming Parade, celebration. https://www.kwch.com. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.kwch.com/2021/08/01/nicodemus-celebrates-its-143-homecoming-parade/.

[13] [15] [16] [17] [19] U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). The five historic buildings. National Parks Service. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.nps.gov/nico/planyourvisit/the-five-historic-buildings.htm.
[20] Home. Descendants of DeWitty. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2021, from http://descendantsofdewitty.org/.

[21] [22] [23] [24] [27] Hwang, C. (2018, September 25). The forgotten tale of dewitty: African american history of Nebraska. KHGI. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://nebraska.tv/news/local/the-forgotten-tale-of-dewitty-african-american-history-of-nebraska. Garner, C. (2020, February 26). DeWitty/Audacious, Nebraska (1908- ) •. •. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/dewitty-audacious-nebraska-1908/.

[28] [30] Crowdfunded African American Sandhills Settlement Marker dedication will be April 11. History Nebraska. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://history.nebraska.gov/blog/crowdfunded-african-american-sandhills-settlement-marker-dedication-will-be-april-11.