Black Homesteaders in the Great Plains of America

Speaker: Eric Ewing, Executive Director of Great Plains Black History Museum
Across every state in the Great Plains, African American homesteaders claimed land, built communities, and shaped a distinct chapter of American history. Though their numbers were smaller than those of the vast wave of White settlers, Black homesteaders established homes, cultivated farms, and created a sense of place and belonging entirely their own.
The Homestead Act opened land ownership to male citizens, widows, single women, and immigrants who pledged to become citizens. With the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment, African Americans were also guaranteed the right to participate fully in this opportunity. Thousands seized it.
Black homesteaders used the promise of land to build new lives rooted in independence. They worked and owned the soil beneath their feet, supported their families, and ensured their children received an education. They organized churches, schools, and civic institutions, nurturing rich cultural and religious traditions. In governing their own affairs, they pursued the full rights and responsibilities of freedom—asserting their place as equal citizens in the American story.