Nicodemus, Kansas, the city of determination and strength, gained strength when slaves began moving out of the deep south, and landed north and west, where they managed to support themselves. W.R. Hill, and Reverend W.H. Smith guided the first group, estimate of 350 African Americans from Lexington, Kentucky to Graham County, Kansas.
Sadly, the all-Black settlement failed to thrive primarily due to being bypassed by railroad lines in the 1880s. Businesses moved to nearby towns that secured railroad stations, causing a collapse in local commerce; they also endured severe challenges during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. This started a decline because of not enough settled permanent residents and failed to secure a railroad station.
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