Enoch and Deborah Harris moved to the “Northwest Territory,” what’s now called the Midwest, around 1820 - and were some of the very first pioneers there.
History books might give a white image of the pioneers, but the truth is Black people were first. And you’ll probably understand why.
When America first purchased the Northwest Territory, its 1787 laws both prohibited slavery and stated that ANYONE with land could settle and vote! Countless free Black families, like the Harrises, went to stake their claim and manifest their own destinies.
And they were EXTREMELY successful - for a time.
They brought farming and business knowledge, and created a vibrant community. The Harris’ apple orchards even launched the apple industry Michigan is now known for.
But jealous whites couldn’t leave Black people alone to build their own success.
By the 1850s, the territories passed numerous anti-Black laws, and barred Black people from entering the area.
Black communities fought back, organizing political activism, but it would be over a century before we regained power in the land we had originally settled.
We’ve always been able to step into the unknown and create our own independent freedom and success out of nearly nothing - and we’ve almost always been thwarted by white jealousy and violence.
Hundreds of years later, the essential truth remains: we have to build power, invest in our own communities, and protect our people and future generations!