Think from KERA The U.S. state that could have been a Black utopia
Dec 10, 2025
Caleb Gayle, a journalist and author, explores the fascinating life of Edward McCabe, who aimed to establish a Black state in Oklahoma after the Reconstruction era. They discuss the debates surrounding Black migration and self-governance, highlighting McCabe's ambitions and struggles in politics. Gayle sheds light on the community-building efforts in Nicodemus, the challenges faced due to Jim Crow laws, and McCabe's later plans for emigration. His legacy continues to shape Oklahoma's Black communities, underscoring the importance of political power in the quest for freedom.
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McCabe's Early Life And Ambition
- Edward McCabe grew up free, worked as a clerk on Wall Street, then moved to Chicago seeking broader opportunity.
- His Chicago experience taught him to sell a dream and see the American West as a place to build Black self-governance.
Building Nicodemus Into A Foothold
- McCabe and Abram Hall traveled to Nicodemus, Kansas and helped organize the town into a functioning Black community.
- They incorporated the town, won the county seat, and attracted nearly a thousand Black voters and businesses.
From Clerk To Statewide Official
- McCabe became Kansas state auditor, the first Black statewide official in the Old West after Reconstruction.
- His administrative skills from clerking translated into recognition but also exposed racial limits on long-term power.
