FINAL NOTICE, Opportunity for Archeologists (PI) and Graduate Students
-- African American Settlement Sites in the West
Nicodemus National Historic Site is developing a project in partnership
with the Kansas State Historical Society, the Kansas Anthropological
Association, the Midwest Archeology Center (National Park Service),
Washburn University, and local community members to sponsor an
archeological summer field school in 2007. Through a formal program
called the Kansas Archeology Training Program (KATP), the Kansas State
Historical Society and Kansas Anthropological Association sponsor a
field school each year to "provide education in archeology through
hands-on experience and formal classes on focused topics." In June
2007, the KATP field school at Nicodemus will investigate settlement
period (1877-c.1880) dugouts. Coordinators of this field school are
*seeking a primary investigator (archeologist)* with experience in
investigating or interested in African American 19^th Century settlement
sites. We are also seeking graduate student researchers to assist with
the field school. This project can provide data for an excellent
thesis, dissertation, or post-doctoral project. We are seeking grant
funding to cover costs for the primary investigator (PI). *If you are
interested in working as the PI on this exciting project*, please submit
a vitae (1-2 pages) and a letter/email indicating your interest to Dr.
Bill Hunt, Senior Archeologist, National Park Service, Midwest
Archeological Center ([log in to unmask]; 402-437-5392, ext. 111) or Dr.
Robert Hoard, State Archeologist, Kansas State Historical Society
([log in to unmask]; 785-272-8681, ext. 269) *by November 1, 2006*.
Located in the northwest part of Kansas, Nicodemus is significant as the
first and one of the few remaining of the many all-Black towns
established along the Western frontier at the end of the Reconstruction
period. The town illustrates a largely untold story of how African
Americans participated in the settlement of the Great Plains. The town
now has a small population of 34 residents. All of these residents are
either direct descendents of the original settlers or married into the
families. This African American community first consisted of dugout
structures (1877-c.1880) and oral histories relate the use of dugouts
and sod houses into the 1920s or later. There is physical evidence of
both dugouts and sod house ruins located within the town.
This project has the potential to produce exciting, new information on
African American settlement on the Plains. Investigations conducted by
Dr. Margaret Wood of Washburn University in May 2006 generated a lot of
excitement from residents and visitors. Dr. Wood conducted a partial
investigation of the Thomas Johnson family site just north of town,
finding a cellar dugout and stone-lined residential dugout. Johnson's
daughter Emma Williams gave birth to the first baby born in Nicodemus,
shortly after arriving in September 1877. Almost everyone in Nicodemus
is related through the Johnson and Williams families. For more
information on Nicodemus and the KATP field school program, see
_http://www.nps.gov/nico_ and _http://www.kshs.org/resource/katphome.htm_.
Sherda K. Williams, Superintendent
Nicodemus National Historic Site
510 Washington Avenue, Apt. 4B
Nicodemus, KS 67625
Office: 785-839-4321
Email: [log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
--
Robert J. Hoard, PhD
State Archeologist, Kansas State Historical Society
6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099, USA
v: 785.272.8681 x269 f: 785.272.8682 [log in to unmask]
Kansas Archaeology, edited by R. J. Hoard & W. E. Banks
is available at http://www.kshs.org/store/home.php
Attend the 64th Annual Plains Anthropological Conference
Topeka, Kansas November 8-11, 2006 http://www.plainsanth2006.org/
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