Black History Month - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Black History Month

February is recognized as Black History month across the country -- and yesterday in Williston, that history in this part of the country was discussed.

Assistant History professor Richard Stenberg hosted a forum yesterday on the campus where he presented his research on the role African Americans played in the fur trade at Ft. Union.

He says little is known...but they have discovered there were some key players in the trade.

It is also interesting, that slavery was outlawed here during that time...but that doesn't mean in didn't exist.

(Richard Stenberg - WSC Professor) "Interestingly the Missouri Compromise of 1820 said there would be no slaves in the former territories of the Louisiana Purchase, there were still slaves operating on the Missouri River for example, the steamboats passing right by here en route to places like Fort Union and several of the early managers had slaves that they had on site."