The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was a significant piece of legislation in U.S. history with profound implications for Black Americans. The act, proposed by Senator Stephen A. Douglas, allowed for the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery, effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which had banned slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel.

This act sparked intense debates and conflicts between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the newly formed territories, leading to a period of violent confrontations known as "Bleeding Kansas." Black Americans were directly impacted by the Kansas-Nebraska Act as they faced increased racial tensions and violence as a result of the expansion of slavery into new territories.

The act further fueled the growing tensions between the North and the South over the issue of slavery, ultimately leading to the Civil War. For Black Americans, the Kansas-Nebraska Act represented a significant setback in the fight against slavery and highlighted the deep-rooted racism and inequality that existed in the United States at that time.