Blackdom: Learn about New Mexico's first Black community by Jennifer Olguin

Have you heard of Blackdom, New Mexico? Chances are slim. I myself never heard of the all-Black settlement that was founded in 1901 in territorial New Mexico.

Blackdom was located in the backyard of Dexter, a small farming community in Chaves County where I was raised. It was about two years ago or so when a researcher came to the Caroline E. Stras Research Room seeking information about the settlement and soon after I was consumed and I wanted to know more about the establishment.

With the current Black Lives Matter movement, I thought that this post was timely and believe it was the ideal time to share information about the settlement. I would like to point out that it is critical that within the archival profession to capture the history of underrepresented/marginalized groups. With that being said, I would like to share the history of Blackdom.