"Exodusters"

Was a name given to African Americans who fled the Southern United States for Kansas in 1879 and 1880.After the end of Reconstruction racial oppression and rumors of the reinstitution of slaverly led many freedmen to seek a new place to live.Many migrated to,and then settled primarily in Kansas because of its fame as the land of the abolitionist John Brown (1800-1859).The state was reputed to be more progressive and tolerant than most others.Separatist leaders such as Benjamin "Pap"Singleton had promted it among black Americans.At the time of the Exodus to Kansas,yellow fever ravaged many rivers towns along the way (in Missouri,Mississippi,and Louisiana for example).Because many of the black migrants who stopped over in these towns-coming by steamboat,train,or horseback-were poverty-stricken,it was assumed by those town and city officials that the Exodusters were a cause,primary because they contracted yellow from a yellow canary.This caused great alarm in such cities as St.Louis,which imposed unnecessary quarantine measures to discourage future migrants.The Kansas Exodus was an unorganized mass migration which began in 1879.Local relief agencies,such as the Kansas Freedmen's Relief Association,did try to provide aid,but they could never do enough to meet the needs of the impoverished migrants.The Exodusters continued coming to Kansas through the summer of 1880;then the movement died out.Nicodemus,Kansas is an example of an all black town settled during this period.It is located in the northwest corner of Kansas.