Trails Center celebrates Black History Month with weekend programs
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CASPER, Wyo. – Celebrate Black History Month at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center this weekend, Feb. 19-20 at 1 p.m., and learn about the entirely black homesteading community of Empire, Wyoming.
Dr. Eric Van Vleet, National Park Service education specialist at Homestead National Historical Park in Nebraska, will present “Dreaming Big in the Equality State: Black Homesteaders in Empire, Wyoming.” Focusing on the experiences of the Shores, Taylor, and Speese families, the presentation sheds light on the significance of black pioneers and the community of Empire.
Located near present-day Torrington on the Wyoming-Nebraska border, Empire was founded in 1908 and became an important hub for black settlers in the state. By 1909, it had its own schoolhouse, and in its heyday, also featured two churches and a post office. While Empire began with big dreams, it came to a tragic end and was mostly erased from the landscape only two decades after its inception.
“Dreaming Big in the Equality State” is a live presentation by the National Park Service. While we encourage people to attend the program on-site at the Trails Center, it will also be available virtually on Microsoft Teams. A link to this program will be shared on the Trails Center website at the link below and on BLM Wyoming’s Facebook and Twitter pages for those who cannot attend in person.
https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/national-historic-trails-interpretive-center
For more information, please call the Trails Center at 307-261-7700.
The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 4:30 pm MST.
1501 N Poplar St., Casper, WY 82601.
Admission is Free
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.