After the Civil War, African Americans were freed and slavery was banished, but it did not end all discrimination of African Americans. The economic system in the South was not designed to support the freed African Americans and many of them had to go back to work in cotton farms but under the system of tenant farmers. Because of that, the figure of Exodusters came to life, many African Americans fled to cities such as Wyandotte, Atchison, and Kansas City.
Life was not good where they were from and where they migrated. The Exodusters did not have money and many were sick with the fever from the migration. Cities became overwhelmed with people.