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Ho for Kansas!

© Meg Greene Malvasi

The Civil War was finally over. For many African Americans living in the South, however, life did not appear to be all that different. Slavery may have been officially abolished by the Thirteenth Amendment, but for many of the newly freed men and women there still existed a great gulf between blacks and whites. The dream of owning a piece of land and attaining economic freedom was as much beyond their reach as when they were in bondage. Their situation had not really changed at all.

Blacks no longer feared the presence of Confederate troops. Now, though, other groups with new names such as the Regulators, the Knights of the White Camelia, and the Ku Klux Klan appeared, and with them, incidents of violence against African Americans increased. Even the simplest acts were done in fear, such as-walking the streets alone, buying supplies at the local store, or worshiping in church. Then there were other activities like going to the polls to vote, which often assured a horrible death.

At last one man had taken all he could stand. Benjamin "Pap" Singleton was born a slave in Tennessee. As a youth he had escaped to the north and freedom. After the war, Singleton returned home to Tennessee. He saw that it was almost impossible for African Americans to buy land; prices were either too high or whites simply refused to sell to former slaves. Singleton recognized the importance of land ownership, for it assured economic independence. There had to be some way, he thought, for former slaves to acquire land. But how? And where?

Like many Americans before him, "Pap" Singleton looked to the West. Had not thousands already gone to the West in search of cheap and plentiful land? The Homestead Act of 1862 had made the promise of a owning land a reality for many who could not have otherwise afforded it. Why shouldn't former slaves also take advantage of this opportunity? There was no reason that Singleton could discover. In the early 1870s, therefore, he set off, bound for- southeastern Kansas. By 1874, Singleton had organized the Edgefield Real Estate and Homestead Association to help move other former slaves to Kansas.

Kansas may have been an unlikely choice, but the state held a special significance for Singleton and other blacks. To many former slaves, Kansas was the "promised land." The famous abolitionist John Brown had once lived there and taken part in the struggle to free the state from slavery. In addition, the current governor, John St. John, had made it known that all settlers, black or white, were welcome to settle there. Gradually, Singleton and his company bought up portions of the land that was once part of a Cherokee reservation.