Following the end of legal Reconstruction (1865-1877) in the United States, the racial climate of the Deep South inspired many African American families to look for a new home in other states, including Kansas. These pioneers, known as Exodusters, traveled to Kansas in May of 1879, and settled in cities such as Leavenworth, Lawrence, Tonganoxie, Ottawa, and Manhattan. Learn how this migration helped form the historic Yuma Street district here in Manhattan and influenced settlement throughout the County.

Melanie Highsmith is the Curator of Education and Design at the Riley County Historical Museum. She moved to Manhattan in 2018 to pursue her Ph.D. in History at Kansas State University. Other degrees include a B.A. in History from Angelo State University and two M.A.s in History and Anthropology from Texas Tech University.