By: Lindsay Tague, Reporter
OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha’s Durham Museum offers what they say to be a fascinating look at the history of our region. February is Black History Month, so the Museum wanted to celebrate with showcasing the Descendants of DeWitty Exhibit. An archival photo exhibition that shows the history of the DeWitty Tribe.
The DeWitty Tribe is the largest and longest-lasting African American settlement in rural Nebraska. Including former slaves who had fled to Canada before the Civil War and their descendants, began to arrive in 1906 to 1907, attracted by the 1904 Kinkaid Act’s offer of 640 acres of free land in the Sandhills.
The Durham Museum encourages all their guests to come check out the archival photos, part of the DeWitty Exhibit. Denise Scales happens to be an actual descendant of DeWitty. She says the whole tribe is made up entirely of family.
“The 27-piece exhibit is our family legacy and our ancestors. DeWitty was the longest lasting, most successful black homestead in the sandhills of Nebraska from 1907 to 1936,” says Scales.
Descendants of DeWitty is open until May 28. Denise Scales hopes to one day gain enough support of the Exhibit, so one day it’ll be shown at the Smithsonian.
