African Americans of Platte County, Missouri

A vivid accounting of perseverance, grit, and ingenuity of the African Americans of Platte County, Missouri.Do you know of the region of Missouri called “Little Dixie?” Or of the valuable skills that enslaved people brought to it? Have you heard the stories of the “slave state” freedom-seekers before and during the Civil War? After emancipation, many of these same people and their children built churches and started schools, some served the country as Buffalo Soldiers, and others became politicians, businesspeople, and community leaders. Revealed in the pages of this well-researched, provocative book are the events and memories that have been largely minimized or ignored in the history of most Platte County communities—knowing and appreciating them contributes to the balm of healing, for all of us.Author Barbara Schell Luetke offers keys to understanding and valuing the collective strength and survival of African American citizens of today.