Edwin P. McCabe died on March 12, 1920. At his funeral, only his wife and the undertaker were present. One wonders how such an important figure in Governor Thompson B. Ferguson’s administration could die in relative obscurity. National Park Service. In my view, McCabe made important contributions in the areas of public finances, education and in shaping the culture of Kansas and Oklahoma with opportunities for African Americans.
McCabe, a Black man born in Troy, New York, went to school in Rhode Island but left school and went to work when his father died. He was a clerk on Wall Street and later for the Cook County office of the Federal Treasury in Chicago. There he completed his law degree and was active in the Republican Party. He and Black journalist Abram T. Hall went to Nicodemus, an all-black settlement in northwestern Kansas as part of the Exoduster movement. Here McCabe pushed the settlement to become self-reliant rather than solicit donations. This financial philosophy helped McCabe be elected twice as Kansas State Auditor. The same philosophy was in concert with T.B. Ferguson’s balanced budget approach. In fact, McCabe served four territorial governors as assistant state auditor before Oklahoma gained statehood.
Another aspect of McCabe’s contributions was to encourage African American settlers to Oklahoma to obtain available land and form communities. He helped establish Langston in 1890. McCabe used the newspaper he founded to promote opportunities in Oklahoma far and wide. Over 50 all Black towns were established in Oklahoma between 1865 and 1920; today there are 13. African Americans, as Republicans, appreciated Ferguson, even renaming the Blaine County town of Salton to Ferguson.
Third, McCabe promoted education, one of Ferguson’s primary thrusts. Through his efforts, the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature established the Colored Agricultural and Normal University – now Langston University -- in 1897. Before, colored persons could not attend college in Oklahoma even though OU, OSU, and OCU were already established. Langston provided an opportunity for higher education. The university recognizes his efforts with the E. P.
McCabe Honors Program. To recognize February as Black History month, the Friends of the Ferguson Home Museum are bringing back professor Roger Hardaway to speak on the history of the buffalo soldiers. This interesting presentation is free of charge and will take place at 5:30 p.m. on February 19 at the Watonga Public Library.