African Americans in Texas

Texas Historical Commission
African Americans in Texas
Five Hundred Years of History
★
African Americans
in Texas: A Timeline
Estevan, the first 1528 1835 African American volunteers
African American known by
Hendrick Arnold, Samuel Mcname
to explore the region
Cullough Jr., Greenbury Logan,
north of the Rio Grande, is
Joe Travis and Maxlin Smith
cast ashore near Galveston.
fight in the Texas Revolution.
African Americans in Texas 1865 1908 Jack Johnson becomes heavy
learn of their freedom on
June 19, more than two years
weight champion of the world.
after the signing of the
1913 Ellie Alma Walls Montgomery of
Emancipation Proclamation.
Houston becomes the first
The 19th has been celebrated
African American to earn a de-
as “Juneteenth” throughout
gree in social work. She is also
Texas and the nation.
the first female president of
the Teachers State Association
The Julius Rosenwald 1920
of Texas (1948-1949), founded
Foundation begins a Rural
in 1884 to advance the cause
School Building Program that
is credited with constructing
of education for black Texans.
527 school buildings for
1921 Texan Bessie Coleman
African Americans in Texas.
receives her pilot’s license
from the Federation
Dr. Connie Yerwood Conner be- 1936
Aeronautique Internationale in
comes the first African Ameri-
France. Coleman is the first
can physician on the staff of
African American to earn an
the Texas Department of Health.
international pilot’s license.
The U. S. Supreme Court orders 1950 1941 Doris Miller of Waco is
the integration of the University
awarded the Navy Cross for
of Texas Law School as a result
heroism during the attack on
of a suit filed by Heman Sweatt.
Pearl Harbor on December 7th.
The Voting Rights Act 1965 1954 The U. S. Supreme Court
of 1965, passed by the U. S.
rules in Brown v. Board of
Congress, outlaws state and
Education of Topeka, Kansas
local voting restrictions im-
that segregated schools are
posed on black voters.
unconstitutional.
Wilhelmina Delco becomes 1991 1973 Barbara Jordan is elected
the first woman Speaker
to the U. S. House of
Pro Tempore of the Texas
House of Representatives.
Representatives.