Follow Me Down to Nicodemus Town

Based on the History of the African American Pioneer Settlement

When Dede sees a notice offering land to black people in Kansas, her family decides to give up their life of sharecropping to become homesteading pioneers in the Midwest. Inspired by the true story of Nicodemus, Kansas, a town founded in the late 1870s by Exodusters—former slaves leaving the Jim Crow South in search of a new beginning—this fictional story follows Dede and her parents as they set out to stake and secure a claim, finally allowing them to have a home to call their own.

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  • 32 Pages
  • 8" x 10"
  • 9780807525357
  • January 2019

Buy from Albert Whitman

  • 9780807525364
  • January 2019

Reviews

  • That the many all-black settlements on the prairie have been whitewashed out of U.S. history makes this book an important one. Visually charming, enjoyable, and educational.

    - Kirkus Reviews

  • The historic town of Nicodemus, Kansas, springs to life through expressive artwork done in softly fluid lines and hues, conveying all of the hope and joy of the movement.

    - Foreword Review starred review

  • An appealing picture book exploring a part of pioneer history that deserves to be more widely known.

    - Booklist

Awards & Accolades

  • 2020 Kansas Notable Book

Illustrator

Nicole Tadgell