Our team is hard at work collecting historical data to build an interactive map of places in the Midwest associated with Moses Dickson and others in the Black Freedom movement in the Midwest. The aim is to better understand how these networks and stories connect, both in the Midwest and beyond.
Check back in late 2025 for the unveiling of Phase 1 of an interactive map. Sites are currently being explored related to Dickson and his networks in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, and Kansas. Target cities include St. Paul, Winona, Galena, Platteville, Dubuque, Keokuk, Davenport, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Ste. Genevieve.
Later iterations of the project will move beyond Dickson-specific sites to include free Black communities in the Midwest, Black-owned businesses, and Black churches. Previously identified Network to Freedom sites in the region will also be added to the interactive map in Phase 2, as well as sites contributed by collaborating scholars.