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.
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!
FEATURED VIDEO FOR
JUNE 2018
The
Wichita Sims Family: by Mr. Charles McAfee, of McAfee3Architects Co.
for video right click here
See further below for the whole of this 2015 forum in Wichita
FEATURED ARTICLE for JUNE 2018
“THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT”
Visit the article on this
website: https://www.indianz.com/News/2018/06/06/native-sun-news-today-the-true-history-o.asp
Selected video footage from two special panels
presented at the 2017
60th 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 segment. [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
======================================================
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 Kansas
settler—Willingham-- ancestors-----
======================================================
2015 PROGRAMS:
FORUMS: HISTORY AND CURRENT CHALLENGES OF SOME
KANSAS BLACK COMMUNITIES, and
HISTORY OF SOME OF THEIR NOTABLE FAMILIES
==========================================
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: by Mr. Charles McAfee, of McAfee3Architects Co. for
video click here
final discussion video 1 and video 2
=================================================================================
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
=====================================================================================
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.)
================================================================
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.)
=========================================================================
-- OUR 2012 PUBLIC FORUM --
“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.)
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
---------------------------------------------------------
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.
=================================================================================================================
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
===========================================================
SOME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING ABOUT KANSAS SOCIAL HISTORY
<>
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.
============================================
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 Bibliography 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
here for estimated route map for the Great 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.
============================================
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.
|
To join the KIAANAFH download and fill out
this form
and send $25/yr to
our Treasurer. |
|
|
for program matters, contact: MIT E53-367 |
for legal matters , contact: |
|
OFFICERS
|
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS: Mrs. Thirkelle
Howard Rev. Dr. Khadijah
Matin Mr. Charles F.
McAfee Ms Geri Sanders Ms. Deborah Tucker |
