Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission
    • Hours and Location
    • Staff & Contacts
    • Board of Directors
    • Accessibility & Accommodations >
      • Site Map
    • Employment
    • HCSCC Supporters
  • Visit Us
    • Accessibility & Accommodations >
      • Social Story
    • Events >
      • History On Tap!
      • Pangea 2025
    • Exhibitions >
      • Land to Table: Food Stories from Clay County
      • Njal's Saga Tapestry
      • The Unchosen Ones
      • Treasures from Norway
    • Online Exhibits >
      • At Last: Marriage Equality
      • Stories of Local Black History
    • The Hjemkomst >
      • Be More Colorful VR Tour
    • The Hopperstad Stave Church >
      • Be More Colorful VR Tour
    • Comstock House
    • Felix Battles Monument
    • Bergquist Cabin
    • Field Trips/Tours
  • Shop
  • Join & Support
    • Join Today
    • Enewsletter
    • Donate to HCSCC
    • Volunteer/Intern Opportunities
  • Research
    • COVID19 in Clay County
    • HCSCC Blog
    • Clay County Archives & Research >
      • Holdings
      • Finding Aids
      • Maps >
        • Fire Insurance Maps
        • Plat Books
      • Digital Books
    • General Photo Catalog
    • Falten-Wange Collection
    • Newsletters
    • HCSCC on MNopedia
Picture
​African Americans have made the Fargo-Moorhead area their home ever since the towns were founded 150 years ago. Each of us has our own story and reasons for living where we do, but most often, we fit patterns made by big historical trends. The largest communities of African Americans are in southern states whose economies were once based on slavery or in cities that offered good-paying manufacturing jobs during the Great Migration in the 20th century. Neither of these trends describes Fargo-Moorhead, so our African-American community was numerically small during the 1800s and 1900s.
 
Each individual who made this their home was an exception to the rules, living lives contrary to the big patterns of history. This exhibit is about some of those exceptional people. 
​
In the last 25 years, our community has become a magnet for immigrants from Africa and countries of the African Diaspora. Education and economic opportunities have enticed thousands of African Americans from around the country to make their home here just in the last two decades.
Discussing Identity
Early Black History: 1870 - 1920
Challenges and Triumphs: 1920 - 1960
Picture
Picture
A New Era: 1960 - 1990
Picture
Newcomers and the Future: 1990 to Present
Picture
References
The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County would like to thank everyone who helped us with this exhibit. Here are a few by name. 
 
Exhibit Advisors
Yvonne Condell, Kayla Jones, Richard Worea, Gracia Sanchez-Dekarske, Gabby Clavo
 
Additional thank to the following for their knowledge and assistance 
Rick Henderson, Darci Ashe, Jered Pigeon, Emily Reynolds Historic Costume Collection NDSU, Missy Hermes and the Otter Tail County Historical Society, University of Missouri Kansas City, NDSU Archives, MSUM Archives, Davin Wait, Kim Baird and the Quilters Guild of North Dakota, Kenneth and Sharon Holley, Mara Morken, Rachel Stone, Johnathan Judd and Tammi Fortney, Wil Dort and Skill Cutz, Delson Saintel and Dakota Barber Academy, Carl Griffin, Bill Law, Davis Scott, Siri Fiebiger, John Rowell, Marv Degerness, Ineke Justitz, and the members of the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County.   

Visit Us

Hours & Location

Exhibitions

Events

Tours

Archives

Resources

About Us

Membership

Donate

Contact

Employment


Accessibility

Site Map

Accommodations

Connect

© COPYRIGHT 2025  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission
    • Hours and Location
    • Staff & Contacts
    • Board of Directors
    • Accessibility & Accommodations >
      • Site Map
    • Employment
    • HCSCC Supporters
  • Visit Us
    • Accessibility & Accommodations >
      • Social Story
    • Events >
      • History On Tap!
      • Pangea 2025
    • Exhibitions >
      • Land to Table: Food Stories from Clay County
      • Njal's Saga Tapestry
      • The Unchosen Ones
      • Treasures from Norway
    • Online Exhibits >
      • At Last: Marriage Equality
      • Stories of Local Black History
    • The Hjemkomst >
      • Be More Colorful VR Tour
    • The Hopperstad Stave Church >
      • Be More Colorful VR Tour
    • Comstock House
    • Felix Battles Monument
    • Bergquist Cabin
    • Field Trips/Tours
  • Shop
  • Join & Support
    • Join Today
    • Enewsletter
    • Donate to HCSCC
    • Volunteer/Intern Opportunities
  • Research
    • COVID19 in Clay County
    • HCSCC Blog
    • Clay County Archives & Research >
      • Holdings
      • Finding Aids
      • Maps >
        • Fire Insurance Maps
        • Plat Books
      • Digital Books
    • General Photo Catalog
    • Falten-Wange Collection
    • Newsletters
    • HCSCC on MNopedia