06/18/2026
Tomorrow is Juneteenth, a day that commemorates June 19, 1865, when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved people in Texas, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued. For many Americans, it marked the day freedom became a reality.
For Rhoda “Rhody” Davis, Juneteenth wasn't just a date in a history book. It was the day her life changed forever.
Rhoda was born into slavery on January 1, 1852, in Georgia. At just six weeks old, she was moved with her mother and other enslaved people to Brenham, Texas. There, she was trained as a house servant and nursemaid and received no formal education.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, Rhoda remained enslaved until June 19, 1865. She was 13 years old when she finally gained her freedom.
After emancipation, Rhoda continued working as a nursemaid in Texas until she married Fayette Smith in 1875. Four years later, the couple moved to Emporia, where they rented a home in an alley along Commercial Street before eventually purchasing a home of their own.
Following a period of illness and the death of her first husband, Rhoda lived in Burlington before returning to Emporia in 1898 after marrying Henry Davis, another formerly enslaved individual who had settled in Lyon County. Together, they made their home at 14 Rural Street.
Rhoda supported herself through housework and laundry services, choosing her own work and working for no one but herself. Though she had no children of her own, she adopted her niece's daughter, Cora Davis Brown, and helped raise her family.
When Rhoda passed away in 1956 at the age of 104, she had witnessed more than a century of American history. She lived through the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. She saw slavery abolished, watched Kansas grow and change, and experienced the rapid transformation of everyday life through new technologies and new opportunities.
Her story is a reminder that the history of Juneteenth is not distant history. It is the story of people who lived in our communities, walked our streets, and helped shape Lyon County.
As we observe Juneteenth, we remember Rhoda Davis and the resilience, determination, and strength she carried throughout her remarkable life.
