U.S. History Collection
Nicodemus and Black Settlements in the West

Another Depiction of Westward Expansion

The image below was published in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper depicting African Americans en route to Kansas via St. Louis in 1879. Although not as recognizable as Gast’s painting, it shows another equally important aspect of the story of westward expansion.

Analyze the illustration and answer the questions below.

An artist's representation in black and white shows a crowd of Black families, dressed well and appearing content. They are walking and riding in covered horse-drawn wagons down a crowded street of a late Eighteen hundreds western town. Along each side of the street are mostly white adults and children and a few Black adults in fine clothing watch the newcomers. The background shows a row of buildings with shops on the bottom floor and apartments on the top floors. An industrial area with smoking chimneys appears in the back right.

Take Notes

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