OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Just in time for Black History Month, a new exhibit at The Durham Museum is highlighting an important piece of black history in Nebraska.
As a result of the Kinkaid Act of 1904, Black settlers started arriving in the western part of the state. In 1907, the settlement of DeWitty, located in present-day Cherry County, was established.
The museum showcases what life was like for the black settlers through photos.
DeWitty was a settlement from 1907 to 1936, making it the longest African American settlement in the state, despite its location on land not suitable for farming. Curator Chelsea Olmstead says she is grateful so much work went in to document the small town leaving the history to share over a century later.
"Their impact on the land and on the history itself is impressive,” Olmstead said. “These images show now just where they worked but how they lived."
The exhibit opens Saturday, Feb. 4 and runs through May 28.
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