Like its home town, Quindaro, Kansas, the Chindowan newspaper draws its name from a Wyandotte Indian word, in this case meaning "leader." By this time the abolitionist town is established with some three dozen households, most of which are African American. The editor of the paper is J.M. Walden, a Methodist minister and bishop, and the co-editor is Clarina I.H. Nichols, a prominent abolitionist and women's rights activist. The paper chronicles the growth of the town and advocates for the Free-State cause.