The Exodusters faced numerous hardships in Kansas and the Midwest after their migration from the South in the late 19th century.
Hardships in Kansas and the Midwest
- Lack of Resources: Many Exodusters arrived in Kansas and other Midwestern places with little to no resources. They struggled to find food, shelter, and funds to make a secure living. Many had to sleep outside or in dugout homes, living almost underground in early settlement phases due to lack of proper housing.
- Economic Challenges: African Americans who attempted to homestead often settled on the least desirable land, such as Kansas uplands, which was difficult to farm. These lands were the leftovers after squatters, railroads, and speculators took prime farmland. Farming these uplands was a formidable challenge, and many remained destitute long after their arrival.
- Harsh Environmental Conditions: Settlers faced tough weather conditions including blizzards, prairie fires, and scarcity of water, especially in rural Kansas and frontier towns like Nicodemus.
- Social Hostility: Despite Kansas promising equal opportunity, many local residents, both black and white, viewed the influx of Exodusters negatively. Some Kansans considered the migration a burden or curse on their communities.
- Political and Social Oppression in the South: The initial reason for the Exodusters' migration was escaping the extreme racism, violence, and economic oppression in the South, including threats from extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the inability to legally own or lease land in places like Mississippi.
- Difficult Journey and Initial Struggles: Many Exodusters were stranded in places like St. Louis during their journey due to refusals by steamboat captains to transport them, leading to further destitution and dependency on aid groups for survival.
Summary
The Exodusters left the South to escape racial violence and economic subjugation but encountered a harsh reality in Kansas and the Midwest: poverty, difficult land, harsh weather, social hostility, and lack of resources made their pioneering efforts extremely challenging. Nonetheless, some communities like Nicodemus survived and became important black settlements, showcasing resilience amid adversity.
This comprehensive view highlights the multifaceted hardships the Exodusters faced in their quest for freedom and better lives in the Midwest.
