African American Homesteading: “The Blair Family & the Exoduster Movement in Dakota Territory”

The public is invited to free presentations of “The Blair Family & the Exoduster Movement in Dakota Territory,” July 24 and 26 from 2 to 3 p.m., and July 25 from noon-1 p.m. in the courtroom at the Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site, Jamestown.

History comes alive as Chautauqua performer Joyce Jefferson portrays Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Blair recounting her life as an African American land agent in Dakota Territory. The performance explores the Exoduster Movement, the late 19th-century migration of thousands of African Americans from the South seeking land, opportunity, and a new beginning in the Great Plains. It also highlights her family’s work to establish the Sully County Colored Colony, also known as the Blair Colony, in Dakota Territory.

This programming coincides with Jamestown's annual Buffalo Days, July 24-26, and is part of the ND250 commemoration celebrating our country’s 250th birthday.

The Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site is home to a unique hands-on exhibit about civics and local government. It is North Dakota’s oldest surviving courthouse and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The courtroom is now air-conditioned.
For more information, contact Outreach Coordinator Stephan Zacharias, [email protected] or 701.328.1883. Located at 504 Third Ave. SE, Jamestown, the Stutsman County Courthouse State Historic Site is managed by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. The site is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Sept. 7. Find more programs sponsored by the State Historical Society at history.nd.gov/events.