What happened to Black families after racial violence in Springfield, Missouri, drove them away?

In 1901, Walter “Duck” Majors turned heads in Springfield, Missouri when he unveiled his gasoline-powered automobile. It was the first of its kind in the southwestern Missouri town. Majors, a 22-year-old Black man and owner of a successful bicycle shop, seemed full of promise and destined to be remembered in Springfield’s history.

But the reality is he’s barely remembered in Springfield. Because in the aftermath of a 1906 lynching in which white residents killed three young Black men in the town square, many Black residents and families, including Majors, had fled the town by 1909.

DETOUR wants to explain what happened to Majors and countless other Black residents of Springfield from the time. Where did they go? What became of the properties they left behind?

Though the events took place long ago, there are still connections that exist today that would help tell that story. Rochelle Fritsch, in DETOUR’s animated documentary on the whitewashing of Missouri, found out an entire secret family history she’d never known because she was willing to look and dig a little deeper.

But she needed help along the way to discover the truth, and so does DETOUR. After you’ve listened to the story of Duck Majors, help spread the word by sharing with family, friends and acquaintances who might have any connection to Springfield, and encourage them to reach out to us with any names, dates and stories they might come across.

This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 9:00 AM.