The descendants of the emancipated African Americans of Gerrit Smith, the abolitionist, Celebrate Emancipation Day, in "Smith Land" Peterboro, N.Y.  Timbuktu/Timbuctoo project was a direct response to the state requirement that "only" those (Black and White) with $250 worth of land could vote. This contribution has been buried for more than a century, but today its being  retold. In 1846, abolitionist Gerrit Smith gave away 120 k acres to  3,000 African American.