Advancing Descendant Engagement in Nicodemus
Advancing Descendant Engagement in Nicodemus, Kansas
A Reparative Approach to Preservation and Stewardship
by Ashley C. Adams, Ph.D.
Mills College at Northeastern University
August 2025
The story of Nicodemus is central to understanding both African American resilience and the broader history of the United States. Founded during the Post-Reconstruction era, Nicodemus offered newly freed African Americans the opportunity to own land, build community, and shape a future defined by freedom and self-determination. At its height, the town thrived as a hub of Black culture, faith, and economic activity.
Yet, like many historic Black communities, Nicodemus has faced systemic neglect. Preservation resources have been limited, official recognition has not guaranteed equitable investment, and descendant voices have too often been sidelined in decisions that directly affect their heritage.The challenges in Nicodemus reflect broader national patterns of underinvestment in Black historic sites and the ongoing erasure of African American contributions from public memory.
Against this backdrop, the Nicodemus Genealogy Engagement Project was developed to center descendant voices in shaping the future of preservation. By conducting surveys and focus groups, and by introducing the Nicodemus Rubric, this project affirms that reparative preservation must be led by descendants themselves. The lessons from Nicodemus provide not only a roadmap for local action but also a model that can be adapted across other historic Black locations and descendant communities worldwide.