Nicodemus Free Health Clinic
Explore the history of Nicodemus, Kansas and learn more about our participation in the annual Nicodemus Homecoming Celebration!
Nicodemus, Kansas is the only remaining all-African-American town west of the Mississippi, founded by former slaves in 1877. During its annual homecoming weekend, which celebrates the town’s African-American pioneer spirit, the population swells from 31 to as many as 1,000 people.
Each year KUMC medical students, faculty, and staff make a pilgrimage to Nicodemus to bring residents and their descendants free health and preventive care services.
Purpose
The primary objective of this program is to acquaint students with the provision of health care services in a culturally-specific rural setting and for them to gain a strong foundation of skills and knowledge involved with various health screening procedures and health education.
Students will gain a basic foundation for skills and knowledge necessary in providing health care services in a culturally specific rural setting and will gain hands-on clinical experiences. Through participation in this program, students will:
- Experience health care in a rural setting
- Glean from the knowledge of participating physicians
- Learn new skills as students rotate through different screening stations
- Bond with other students while staying the weekend in a rustic hunting lodge
Program Activities
The University of Kansas Medical Center Mobile Medical Unit provides a clinical setting complete with radiographic equipment and examination rooms. Free health screenings include the following:
- Blood pressure checks
- Body mass indexing
- Glucose and cholesterol screenings
- Health education sessions
History
Nicodemus, Kansas is the first and only remaining town west of the Mississippi River established by freed slaves during the Reconstruction-era after the Civil War. Founded in 1877, this “unsettled” land offered a chance for black families and farmers to seek better lives and opportunities in the heartland. For more history on Nicodemus, visit Kansas: Nicodemus National Historic Site via the National Parks Service.
Sponsored by:
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion
The University of Kansas Medical Center, School of Medicine
In partnership with the Nicodemus Homecoming Committee (Nicodemus Homecoming Celebration)