February 11-May 6, 2027
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 11, 2027 from 4:30-6:30 PM
Previously on display at the History Colorado Center in Denver and El Pueblo History Museum in Pueblo, The Dry: Black Women’s Legacy in a Farming Community looks at the little-known history of a predominantly Black farming community in southeast Colorado, and the legacy of the powerful women who built and sustained this close-knit community.
Founded in the early 1900s, The Dry is part of the long and often overlooked history of Black accomplishments in the Centennial State. The community traces its origins back to Josephine and Lenora Rucker who, along with George Swink, began convincing Black families from across the nation to claim land in Otero County under the Enlarged Homestead Act of 1909.
Originally passed in 1862, the Homestead Act was a crucial piece of legislation in United States history that allowed citizens to acquire parcels of 160 acres from the public domain. This gave land ownership opportunities to a wider range of U.S. citizens, including women and people of color.
A story of Black agricultural excellence, The Dry: Black Women’s Legacy in a Farming Community explores how, despite challenging conditions, the families of The Dry persevered, transformed the landscape of southeast Colorado, established a community that existed outside of a racially segregated America, and forged a legacy of freedom, family and resilience.
“It's all about legacy and really highlighting things that history has forgotten,” said Alice McDonald, the last living resident of The Dry and matriarch of the Craig Family who stewards the legacy of this farming community. “The Dry is the perfect example of that, people from all over coming here for opportunity, to live the American dream. People going out west to make their own way, an example of, against all the odds, man versus nature, and nature just kind of got better.”
Using photographs from descendants and oral histories from former residents, The Dry: Black Women’s Legacy in a Farming Community expands the understanding of the significant contributions of the Black community to farming on the Eastern Plains and the Homestead Act, both of which have largely been presented from the perspective of white homesteaders.
About History Colorado’s Traveling Exhibitions
History Colorado has a number of traveling exhibitions designed by its award-winning design and production team available for rent. Additional information on History Colorado's Traveling Exhibitions can be found here.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Spring 2027 exhibits are made possible with donor support to the Center of Southwest Studies’ Peter and Deedee Decker Fund and Impact Fund.
Image caption: Lulu Craig with children of The Dry, 2022.27.5.250_R. Photo courtesy of Alice McDonald / History Colorado.