Hailey
Understanding history is not always comfortable, but it is important. Across the United States, many places were named long ago after powerful leaders of their time.
Some of those leaders strongly supported slavery, segregation, or racist systems. In recent years, Americans have started re-examining these names to better understand what they represent today.
In Kansas, there are counties and a school district whose names are connected to people who supported slavery or racist organizations. While no Kansas military bases were renamed, these local names continue to raise questions about history, identity, and public memory.
This article explains which Kansas counties are involved, who they were named after, and why these names are controversial today.
Why Place Names Are Being Questioned in the U.S.
Over the last few years, the U.S. government reviewed names of military bases that honored Confederate leaders. Many of these bases were renamed to reflect people who served the nation honorably without supporting slavery.
Even though Kansas did not have forts named after Confederate officers, the state still has counties and a school district named after people who actively supported slavery or racist causes. These names remain in use today.
A Kansas School District Named After a Ku Klux Klan Leader
Seaman USD 345 in Shawnee County
One of the most discussed cases is Seaman USD 345, a school district in northern Shawnee County.
The district is named after Fred A. Seaman, who died in 1948. In 2020, student journalists confirmed that Seaman was a leader in the Topeka chapter of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK)—a group known for racism, violence, and hatred.
What Action Was Taken?
In November 2021, the school board voted 7–0 to keep the name Seaman but remove all references to Fred Seaman himself.
The board also passed a resolution strongly condemning his beliefs, calling them “vile,” “revolting,” and unacceptable in modern society.
Key Point:
The name remains, but the person behind it is no longer honored.
Kansas Counties Named After Slavery Advocates
Below are four Kansas counties named after men who played major roles in defending slavery.
Anderson County – Named After a Pro-Slavery Lawmaker
Anderson County, located in east-central Kansas, is named after Joseph C. Anderson.
- He supported pro-slavery laws in the Kansas Territory
- Served in the “bogus legislature” of 1855
- Was suspected of helping the Confederacy during the Civil War
Anderson later returned to Kentucky and died in 1891.
Atchison County – Named After a Pro-Slavery U.S. Senator
Atchison County is named after David Rice Atchison, a U.S. senator from Missouri.
- Strong supporter of slavery
- Helped pass the Kansas-Nebraska Act
- Tried to make Kansas a slave state
- Served as a Confederate general
Atchison died in 1886.
Brown County – Named After a Confederate Leader
Brown County was named after Albert Gallatin Brown of Mississippi.
- U.S. senator and governor of Mississippi
- Supported slavery openly
- Served in the Confederate Army
- Later became a Confederate senator
He died in 1880.
Butler County – Named After a Strong Slavery Advocate
Butler County is named after Andrew Pickens Butler, a senator from South Carolina.
- Co-author of the Kansas-Nebraska Act
- Strong defender of slavery
- His family was involved in a violent attack on abolitionist Sen. Charles Sumner
Butler died in 1857.
Quick Overview
| County / District | Named After | Connection to Slavery or Racism |
|---|---|---|
| Seaman USD 345 | Fred A. Seaman | Ku Klux Klan leader |
| Anderson County | Joseph C. Anderson | Pro-slavery lawmaker |
| Atchison County | David R. Atchison | Slavery supporter, Confederate general |
| Brown County | Albert G. Brown | Confederate senator |
| Butler County | Andrew P. Butler | Slavery advocate |
Other Kansas Counties with Slavery Connections
Some Kansas counties were named after U.S. presidents who owned slaves, including:
- Washington County – George Washington
- Jackson County – Andrew Jackson
- Jefferson County – Thomas Jefferson
A Name That Was Changed
Geary County was once named Davis County, after Jefferson Davis, future president of the Confederacy.
The name was later changed to honor John W. Geary, a Union general.
Kansas has a deep and complex history tied to the fight over slavery. While the state entered the Union as a free state, many of its counties and institutions were named after people who strongly supported slavery or racist ideologies.
Today, communities are deciding how to handle these names—whether to change them, explain them, or keep them with context.
Learning this history helps people better understand the past and encourages thoughtful discussions about what values public names should represent in modern society.