Formerly enslaved African-Americans who moved to Kansas in 1879 were known as Exodusters.
The term "Exodusters" originated from the biblical story of Exodus, which recounts the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt and their journey to the Promised Land. The Exodusters were a group of African-Americans who sought to escape the oppressive conditions of the post-Reconstruction South by migrating to Kansas and other western states.
The migration of Exodusters was a response to the harsh realities of racial discrimination, economic hardship, and political disenfranchisement experienced by African-Americans in the South during the Reconstruction era. Many believed that by relocating to the West, they could find greater opportunities for land ownership, employment, and overall improved living conditions.
The Exodusters movement gained momentum in 1879 when Benjamin "Pap" Singleton, a formerly enslaved African-American, organized a mass migration from various Southern states to Kansas. Singleton promoted the idea of creating all-black settlements where African-Americans could establish independent communities and achieve economic self-sufficiency.
The Exodusters faced numerous challenges during their migration, including limited resources, poverty, and resistance from white Southerners who sought to prevent their departure. Nevertheless, thousands of African-Americans made the journey to Kansas and other western states, settling in towns such as Nicodemus, Kansas, which became one of the most prominent Exoduster communities.
The Exodusters' migration to Kansas represented a significant chapter in African-American history, illustrating their determination to seek freedom, opportunity, and a better life for themselves and their families. It also contributed to the demographic and cultural diversity of the American West.