Following emancipation in 1865, freed slaves purchased lots from Ira Malcolm Camp on land known as Camp Canaan. They established a community that they renamed Freedman Town. Citizens quickly erected homes and established churches, schools and businesses, many of which remain and have played a major role in the development and success of the area. A 1919 Dallas Express article reported a large and thriving African American community in Navasota with a flourishing business district, a testament to their determination during a time of segregation. Other amenities built by and for the African American community included a swimming pool and baseball field.