THE KANSAS INSTITUTE
FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND NATIVE-AMERICAN
FAMILY HISTORY

This website concerns: African American history -- especially historic and current connections with Native Americans-- and social history of the American Mid-West, family history, and commemorating Kansas history.

(NOTICE: some of the links on this website will probably not open on a smart-phone or I-phone. We are working to correct that problem. For viewers using a computer, all should open, perhaps in “a new frame,” But, for any that does not open, try using a control+click procedure. Then, look at the top of your screen for that new frame and click on it.

To join the KIAANAFH download and fill out this form and send $25/yr to our Treasurer.
Make checks payable to “KIAANAFH” -contributions & membership payments are tax deductable!
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FEATURED NEWS ITEM

Among the many truly historic and important progressive candidate electoral victories of the 2018 congressional elections is the victory of the first Native American woman to be elected to Congress. SHARICE DAVIDS, a citizen of the Ho-Chunk Nation, won the Democratic primary for a Congressional seat in Kansas.

This is the person we featured in our article back in September Below is that article:

FEATURED ARTICLE
(control+click here) Another Native woman advances in historic year for Native candidates

FEATURED VIDEOS

Edith Walker’s Kansas pioneer family
click here for Matin's introduction of Edith Walker, and click here for Edith Walker's presentation.

Regarding the Sims family, the McAfee family, and others of Wichita:
by Mr. Charles McAfee, of McAfee3Architects Co. for video click here

Regarding The African American communities of North-East Kansas City, KS:
by Rev. Robert L. Baynham for video, click here

FEATURED online – BLOG ENTRYs

“Pompey” Fixico (descendant of Caesar Bruner of the Seimonle/Creek/Mascogos) regarding their relevance to Blacks in Mexico, as well as “Cinco de Mayo” celebrations: click this link
https://refixico.wordpress.com/2018/08/09/john-horse-dr-runoko-rashidi-carl-nelsons-woldc-radio-program-los-mascogos-and-fort-negros-fixico/

Or, IF THAT DOES NOT WORK, copy the following text into your web browser location window https://refixico.wordpress.com/2018/08/09/john-horse-dr-runoko-rashidi-carl-nelsons-woldc-radio-program-los-mascogos-and-fort-negros-fixico/

For a subsequent entry on similar issue > https://refixico.wordpress.com%2f2018%2f08%2f11%2falliances-gullah-geechee-seminole-maroons-mascogo-maroons-john-horse-carl-nelsons-woldc-news-and-fort-negros-fixico/
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Selected video footage from two special panels presented at the 2017 60^th Annual National Conference of the U.S. African Studies Association, featuring the career of Dr. Willard R. Johnson This footage starts with fourth segment of the full set of videos, and is located at https://youtu.be/J8NF_a_n2Wk this segment should be advanced to start at about the 25:25 marker point, to start with the first part of Dr. Vivian R. Johnson discussion of Willard’s and her work on genealogy regarding Kansas ancestors and related social history. View on to the finish of that segmen Note: the first photo, of “Bettie,” is NOT of “The Madagascar Woman” but rather her daughter. We have no name or photo of the Madagascan.. In the next segment, the statue for the First Kansas Colored Regiment is located in Missouri] Then continue on the next segment, at https://youtu.be/MJFs-VSaYrU This segment ends with remarks by Willard. His discussion continues of the final segment: at https://youtu.be/sFvk_DeRIK4 and includes audience remarks and questions including remarks by former American and African students and associates of Willard, and remarks and questions by Dr. Adekeye Adebajo of the University of Johannesburg who heads their Institute of Pan-African Thought and Conversation.

Next is footage regarding from Willard R. Johnson’s presentation to Univ. of Johannesburg Conference organized by Dr. Adebajo, called “The Pan-African Pantheon,” regarding the contributions to Pan-Africanism of Mr. Harry Belafonte For an extensive excerpt from this presentation-- click here

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Interview with noted, now retired and Florida based physician
Dr. Joseph K. Hurd, MD,

regarding his many generations of Kansas family history!

For an online"You-tube" based record of this interview
click here, and then use the "play all" box at top left!

-----Dr. Joseph K. Hurd ---------------and one of his----- Willingham ancestors-----

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2015 PROGRAMS:

FORUMS: HISTORY AND CURRENT CHALLENGES OF SOME
KANSAS BLACK COMMUNITIES, and
HISTORY OF SOME OF THEIR NOTABLE FAMILIES
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WICHITA AREA FORUM
November 14, 2015 ---- Unity Church of Wichita, KS
co-sponsored by
UNITY Of Wichita, and the KIAANAFH

Presentations:
Introduction by Ms Wilma Moore-Black, Wichita State Upward Bound Program Director
Some Humboldt KS families: by Dr. Willard R. Johnson, retired MIT Professor -
(facilitated by the MIT Department of Political Science)
for a video of the introduction and W. Johnson's presentation click here
(ignore any YouTube ads, they are not by us)
for the second part of Johnson, click here
for final part of Johnson's presentation, click here

The George and Catherine Walker family, by Edith Walker
for video of Ms E. Walker's presentation click here

The Brown Family: by Ms. Shelia Brown-Kinnard, Educator for this video, click here

The Sexton Family: by Dr. Eric Sexton, V.P. Wichita State Univ. for presentation click here
for video of audience discussion of this family this link for the video

The Sims Family, the McAfee family, and others of Wichita:
by Mr. Charles McAfee, of McAfee3Architects Co. for video click here

final discussion video 1 and video 2

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KANSAS CITY AREA FORUM
October 31, 2015 -- Metropolitan Baptist Church, KC, Kansas
(This forum was co-sponsored by the Kansas Humanities Council)

Presentations:
Master of Ceremonies, Ms. Geri Sanders videoclip

Ms Angela Bates presented on the historic Black town of Nicodemus:
we have no video of the presentation itself, but here is a video on the Q&A discussion

Quindaro: history and commemorative quilts, by Ms. Nedra Bonds
5 videos on this presentation and discussion 1st part of Bonds speech , 2nd part of Bonds speech ,
Q n A 1st part , Q n A 2nd part , Q n A final part

Humboldt, KS families: by Dr. Willard R. Johnson, retired Professor (facilitated by
the MIT Department of Political Science)
NorthEast Kansas Ciity, KS:
by Rev. Robert L. Baynham for video, click here

Gordon Parks: by Charles McAfee, Architect for video on the main presentation, click here
for video of discussion, click here

watch this space for future posting of more videos from this forum

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EARLIER PROGRAMS:

VIDEO (added in 2014) of the Humboldt, Kansas ceremony from June, 2000, commemorating "THE GREAT ESCAPE" of Indians and Blacks over "The Trail of Blood on Ice" from "Indian Territory" (now Oklahoma) to Kansas. This 1861/2 flight was led by the Muskogee leader Opothleyahola and reflected a "comrades in arms" collaboration between many thousands of Native Americans and hundreds of African Americans to escape slavery and/or the Confederacy.

Click here for the introduction to our DVD on the complete ceremony. Please note that all the video footage on this ceremony is under copyright protection by the KIAANAFH and may not legally be reproduced without our permission. Click HERE for video footage of the opening of the ceremony and the speech by the Muskogee Creek Indian Nation's Principal Chief, Mr. R. Perry Beaver, and the first half of the presensation by KIAANAFH President Prof. Willard R Johnson. CLICK HERE for the completion of Johnson's presentation, and other speakers about the experience of the refugees.
CLICK HERE for PART THREE to continue the presentations by descendants of the refugees and of some of the principal figures in the story of the Great Escape.

CLICK HERE for PART FOUR to complete the presentations by descendants, including direct descendants of Opothleyahola and other leaders of that time. (See near the very bottom of this web page for more material on this event.)

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ALSO LOOK AT THE MATERIALS FEATURED BELOW:

video -- Concepts of citizenship relevant to Blacks with Indians
(This 2 hour panel from February 2011 at M.I.T. incluudes a 20+ minute talk by Willard R. Johnson --- after starting the video, move the location mark to start at 1hr 17 minutes.)
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-- OUR 2012 PUBLIC FORUM --

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“Out of the shadows:
Notable African American families
and sites of Mid-America”
Saturday, August 25, 2012 -- 10am to 2pm
at The Black Archives of Mid-America
1722 E. 17th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64108

Sponsored by The KIAANAFH (with partial support by FFNHA, the Black Archives of Mid-America,
and the M.I.T. Political Science Dept.)

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WE DISCUSSED HOW/WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM OUR OWN FAMILY HISTORIES, and
HOW TO BRING OUT THEIR BROADER SIGNIFICANCE!
The stories we discussed concerned the families in the Kansas and Missouri area that settled here before 1950.
We hope to help our children and grandchildren take pride in their family’s heritage.
We aim to bring prominence to our stories by making them known to the thousands of tourists who, in coming years,
will visit the U.S. National Park Service’s project called Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA).

We discussed important but still all too little known places and people in KS/MO history, such as:
o Dr. George Washington Carver: scientist, educator, inventor, artist, born in MO, product of KS education.
o Sarah Rector: the richest Black woman in the US, perhaps the world of her time, who was a resident of KC.
o Bishop John Andrew Greg: who was a noted educator, U.S. diplomat, AME church leader, resident of KC, KS.
o Melvin B. Tolson: educator, labor organizer, civic leader, coach of the famous “Great Debaters,” resident of KC, MO.
o Polly Crossilin: Black Seminole/Creek Indian founder of the Colored Church (Poplar Grove) of Humboldt, KS.
o The role Sumner High School of Kansas City in producing many African American leaders.
o Contributions of the region's African American women's clubs and organizations.
o The contributions of the early local African American churches.
o Stories and sites introduced by the participants.

Speakers included:
Ms. Julie McPike, Project Coordinator, FFNHA
Mr. Chester Owens, former member of KC, KS City Council
Mr. Robert Farnsworth, historian and biographer of Melvin B. Tolson
Dr. Doretha Williams, Executive Director of the Black Archives of Mid-America
Ms. Geraldlyn Sanders, Assistant to the President of the KC Art Institute, activist in M.A.G.I.C., KIAANAFH Board
Dr. Khadijah Matin, former National President Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, KIAANAFH Board
Rev. Robert L. Baynham, Pastor of the Metropolitan Baptist Temple in KC, KS, KIAANAFH Vice President
Dr. Willard R. Johnson, retired Professor of Political Science at MIT and KIAANAFH President
Ms. Edith Walker, math teacher at the Commonwealth School in Boston, KIAANAFH Treasurer
Ms. Deborah Tucker, retired librarian, Wayne State University, KIAANAFH Board

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For "YouTube" based VIDEOS of this forum click on the following links.

Click here for the first 4 presentations --the Forum Introduction by Dr. Khadijah Matin, the explanation of the FFNHA project by Ms. Julie McPike, the introduction to Sarah Rector story by Ms. Geraldlyn Sanders, and discussions by Mr. Chester Owens of AME Bishop Gregg, and the first part of the Sumner High School story.

Click here for the continuation of Mr. Owens' presentation regarding Sumner High School, followed by Robert Farnsworth on the many contributions of "The Great Debater's" coach, Melvin Tolson.

Click here for the video clip of Khadijah Matin's presentation on her Nebraska pioneer family's Kansas experience, followed by Deborah Tucker's discussion of the life and achievements of Dr. George Washington Carver, and then the first part of the presentation by Ms Doretha Williams about early women's clubs in Kansas; AND

Click here for the end of the Williams presentation on women's clubs, and the first half of the presentation by Rev. R.L. Baynham regarding the early development of Black churches in Kansas, and click here for the rest of that presentation by Rev. Baynham;
click here for Matin's introduction of Edith Walker, and click here for Edith Walker's presentation about her pioneer family in Kansas.

For a video of the presentation and related photos regarding "Aunt Polly" Crosslin, by WRJohnson click here
To continue with a few more sites and photos relating to this presentation click here.

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OTHER FEATURED LINKS
African Native American Genealogy Forum for all topics on Black/Indian connections, especially the recent controversies regarding restoration of historic citizenship rights for "Freedman"
Freedmen Descendants of the 5 Tribes website

"Muskogee Creek Indian Freedmen Band" organization
-- for their 2015 Conference speakers click here

"Creek Freedman" Organization

Concepts of citizenship relevant to Blacks and Indians
(this 2 hour panel incluudes a 15 minute talk by Willard R. Johnson regarding Blacks and Indians (start the video, and to hear only Johnson's presenttion, move the location marker to 1hr 17 min mark into the video)

For current news from an Indian nations perspective, click here

National Congress of Black American Indians
launched in July 2014--- for the Indianz News article on this event, click here

The "Bleeding Kansas Heritage Area Project" has been transformed into the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area (click here for its website)-- --
(for information on ALL the Heritage Areas, click here )

Black Archives of Mid-America

BLACK PAST: African American History through people and places;
see especially the vignette of Seminole Chiefs Billy Bowleg (Halpata & Sonaki Micco)

National Resources for doing genealogy on African Americans and Native Americans

AfroAmerican Historical and Genealogy Society

Afrigeneas - genealogy and history site

The Kansas African American Museum -- Wichita

Mid West Indian Center Wichita

Heart of America Indian Center KC MO

National American Indian Museum

Regarding the historic underground railroad site at the Quindaro Ruins:
listen to an interesting radio interview on the KC Currents show at KCUR (brought to our attention by Marvin S. Robinson II) http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kcur/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1837930

For an earlier Los Angeles Times archive article on the Quindaro Ruins site: Click here

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SOME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING ABOUT KANSAS SOCIAL HISTORY
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CITIZENS CREEK

New Book from the Author of the best-selling books: Cane River, and Red River

We very seldom impose on our contacts to call attention to commercial products, however relevant they may be to the common interests of the visitors to this website. However, having read this book (and, indeed all her previous ones) and having discussed it with her throughout much of its development, and finding it truly an extraordinarily informative, moving, historically well-grounded in the available facts, and brilliantly rendered work of historical fiction – I feel confident in recommending it to our members and friends. This is a very important story about Cow Tom and his family, his close associates (such as Harry Island) and owner (Chief Yargee) . Tom and Island were among the most famous and consequential of the Black interpreters for the Creek, Seminole, and Cherokee Native American nations, during the period of the “Indian removals” and American Civil War. Such a story has ramifications for relations between many African Americans and Native Americans today. It was published by Atria Books division of Simon and Shuster, Inc.

We recommend this book to a wide range of readers - those who enjoy engrossing fiction, or a good multigenerational family story, or important but still rather overlooked aspects of American history.

You can ORDER Citizens Creek through Amazon at this webiste

or through the author's website www.lalitatademy.com, just click through any of the links there
(Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or an independent bookseller)

For more information, also see the website www.simonandshuster.com or facebook.com/atriabooks.

Also consider the book that records a very relevant 2009 exhibit at
The National Museum of Native Americans, Washington D.C.

“INDIVISIBLE”
you can order this book from the Smithsonian Stores:
phone 1-800-331-3761, or online at www.AmericanIndian.si.edu/bookshop
or search by this ISBN: 978-1-58834-271-3

FIND FURTHER RESOURCE LINKS BELOW

Other KIAANAFH PAST ACHIEVEMENTS include:

* Transcription of a “breakout session” panel at the 57^th Annual Session of the National Council of American Indians that focussed on "The Legacy and Future of Black/Indian Relations." The session was organized by former Cherokee Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller, with the assistance of Dr. Willard R. Johnson and the KIAANAFH. The transcription was rendered by Dr. Johnson and is published for posting here and in print by the KIAANAFH. Click on this link for the transcription of this NCAI session on BLACK/ INDIAN RELATIONS - TRANSCRIPT. You may download and print this transcription for personal, classroom, civic organizational or other strictly non-commercial uses only.

For an extensive bibliography and resource list developed by participants in this panel under the leadership of Chief Mankiller and Dr. Patrick Minges, click the link below.

click here for Bibglioraphy on historic connections between African Americans and Native Americans

More regarding THE GREAT ESCAPE CEREMONY: "Tracing Trails of Blood on Ice: The Great Escape" of Indians and Blacks into Kansas." Click the next link for text and photo material relating to this ceremony!

(click here for estimated route of the escape)

You may order a copy of our DVD of the complete ceremony, -- $20 for members, plus $4 shipping. $30 plus shipping for non-members.

The Negro History Bulletin of Jan.-Dec. 2001 (Vol. 64) carried an article by Willard R. Johnson regarding this story . Click here for a text only copy of this individual article for non-commercial use. The whole issue containing this article and teaching guides may be purchased through the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, publications archive website: ASAALH publication archive store

*KIAANAFH also contributed to the planning for the original "Bleeding Kansas Heritage Area" project, including the LeRoy Kansas Opothleyahola Memorial site that is part of that tour area, as part of a 4-county Heritage Tour area that was inspired by and based on the story commemorated in KIAANAFH's June 2000 "Great Escape" ceremony, called "Tracing Trails of Blood on Ice." Video footage of this entire ceremony is featured at the beginning of this webpage, above.

--- for a photograph and more information on the LeRoy site, click here---

The whole trail will be part of the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area mentioned above.

OTHER PAST KIAANAFH ACCOMPLISHMENTS include:

* Seminars/exhibitions on pioneer African American families in the Southeast Kansas area with principal funding support from the Kansas Humanities Council.

* Round-Table discussions within the Kansas based African American communities to document the connections the various episodes of forced removal of Native American nations from the South Eastern United States during the 1830s “Trail of Tears."

* A workshop among families that participated in the round-table programs together with experts and officials from the National Archives and Records Administration (from Washington DC and Ft. Worth TX offices) devoted to documentation for connections between the African- and Native- American peoples.

* CHEROKEE NATION CENSUS (1869/1870): transcription of a Cherokee pension census commissioned in 1869, and supervised by Capt. J. W. Craig. It records ALL known residents in the territory of The Cherokee Nation (Indian Territory/Oklahoma) including colored persons, whether citizens or not, and intruders. This census was submitted to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Dec. 1871 by F. E. Foster, Sp. Agent in the Pension Office. It had been lost in the National Archives since 1871. KIAANAFH members may request lookups for up to five individuals -contact Pres.

Willard R. Johnson at the address below.

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The KIAANAFH is an independent, non-profit, membership organization founded in 1991 to promote the preservation, documentation and appreciation of family identity, traditions, and achievements of the members of the African American and Native American communities of the Mid-West United States. The KIAANAFH aims to assist families with a regional base of ancestral roots and widely scattered branches, to know, preserve, strengthen and celebrate their own achievements.

The KIAANAFH was founded by persons whose parents or grandparents were/are still resident in Kansas, or whose current work is associated with the study and preservation of historical material relating to Kansas. Many of them represent mixtures of African American and Native American descent, or have "Freedman," and/or “comrade in arms” connections with Native American peoples. Many of them are academicians, in a variety of fields, who can help identify and mobilize resources to assist families to document themselves more fully and to preserve their important memorabilia. In particular, they aim to improve the resource base for revealing and commemorating the often neglected and difficult to document aspects of African American and Native American genealogical and historical relationships.