Sam Rayburn Museum

Sam Rayburn Museum The Sam Rayburn Museum is a division of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History

12. Magnuson Act, 1943; McCarran-Walter Act, 1952 In 1882, President Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Ac...
08/18/2026

12. Magnuson Act, 1943; McCarran-Walter Act, 1952

In 1882, President Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which established a ban on Chinese immigration and denied state and federal courts the right to grant citizenship to Chinese immigrants. Two years after China became an ally in World War II, Congress passed the Magnuson Act, also known as the Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act of 1943, which allowed Chinese immigration for the first time in 61 years. The law also had provisions for naturalized citizenship, making Chinese immigrants the first Asian nationality allowed to legally become U.S. citizens. Almost ten years later, the McCarran-Walter Act, officially called the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, ended racial restrictions on naturalization, allowing all Americans with Asian ancestry to become U.S. citizens. However, many Asian immigrants faced the same obstacles as other non-white citizens when it came to exercising their right to vote.

🇺🇸 The 4th of July may be over, but the celebration continues!Our 250 Exhibit is still here and ready for you to explore...
08/07/2026

🇺🇸 The 4th of July may be over, but the celebration continues!

Our 250 Exhibit is still here and ready for you to explore.

Come discover fascinating artifacts, and displays celebrating our history. Whether you missed it the first time or want another look, there's still plenty to see!

✨ Don't miss out—bring a friend and come celebrate with us! We can't wait to welcome you!

11. Indian Citizenship Act of 1924Native Americans had a long road to gaining citizenship and the right to vote. The 1...
08/04/2026

11. Indian Citizenship Act of 1924

Native Americans had a long road to gaining citizenship and the right to vote. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to anyone born in the U.S., but in 1884 the Supreme Court ruled the clause “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” excluded Native Americans because as members of sovereign tribal nations, they would be under the jurisdiction of the tribe and their allegiance would primarily be to their tribe and not to the U.S. The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 was the first federal law that granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S., regardless of tribal affiliation. Congress passed the law partly in recognition of the thousands of Native Americans that served during World War I. Although the act extended citizenship rights, it did not automatically guarantee voting rights because many states continued to impose restrictions, like literacy tests and poll taxes, aimed at preventing non-white citizens from participating in elections.

U.S. President Calvin Coolidge with four Osage Indians after Coolidge signed the bill granting Indians full citizenship., February 18, 1925.
Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs division (digital ID cph.3c11409).

You never know what surprises the Bonham Quilt Hop and Fiber Arts show might bring! For Shirley Stevenson's grandson and...
07/27/2026

You never know what surprises the Bonham Quilt Hop and Fiber Arts show might bring! For Shirley Stevenson's grandson and his wife, the surprise was finding one of her most well-known quilts, Captain Tom, A Tall Texan, on display as part of our exhibit.

🧵✨ The Quilt Hop may be over, but our special quilt exhibit will remain on display through July 31, 2026, giving you the perfect opportunity to stop by and see the amazing craftsmanship, creativity, and history stitched into every quilt. Whether you're a quilting enthusiast, a history lover, or just looking for something unique to do, come see what surprises might be waiting for you!

📍 Sam Rayburn Museum
🗓 Quilt Exhibit on display through July 31, 2026

07/24/2026

🧵✨ The 2026 Bonham Quilt Hop & Fiber Arts Show is HERE!

📅 July 24–25, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🎟️ FREE Admission!

Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary while exploring one of North Texas’ most unique quilt & fiber arts events! With 300+ quilts on displayed across 12 Quilt Hop locations, you’ll discover beautiful craftsmanship, local history, and the charm of Bonham along the way.

🤩Quilt Hop Locations🤩

Quilt displays will be featured at:

📍Start your adventure at the Roy V. Floyd Community Center, where you can pick up your Quilt Hop map and event schedule. Located at 1100 W. 5th St., Bonham, Texas. (Maps are available at all locations)
📍Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site, 890 W. State Hwy 56, Bonham, Texas.
📍Holiday Inn Express Bonham Texas, 1101 GK Reddy Ave., Bonham, Texas.
📍Sam Rayburn Museum, 800 W. Sam Rayburn Dr., Bonham, Texas.
📍For the Quilter - Quilt Store (Historic Brownlee House), 220 W. 6th St., Bonham, Texas.
📍Creative Arts Center, 200 W. 5th St., Bonham, Texas.
📍1888 Fannin County Courthouse, 101 E. Sam Rayburn Dr., Bonham, Texas.
📍Bonham Public Library, 305 E. 5th St., Bonham, Texas.
📍 Fannin County Museum of History, 1 N. Main St., Bonham, Texas.
📍Fannin County Historical Commission Museum, 1 N. Center St., Bonham, Texas.
📍Neighbors Place Winery, 205 W. Third St., Bonham, Texas.
📍Honey Grove Church of Christ, 403 W. Main St., Honey Grove, Texas.

While you’re hopping from stop to stop, enjoy:
🪡 Quilt & craft vendors
🎨 Free demonstrations
🎟️ FAT Quarter Bingo
🏛️ Historic museums & landmarks
🛍️ Downtown shopping
🍽️ Great local restaurants
🍷 Wine and more!

Turn your Quilt Hop into a weekend getaway! After a day of exploring quilts and shopping, unwind with a glass of wine at Neighbors Place Winery, enjoy dinner at one of Bonham’s local restaurants, or head over to the Kueckelhan Ranch Rodeo for an authentic Texas evening. There’s something to enjoy from morning to night!

We can’t wait to welcome quilters, fiber artists, and visitors from across Texas and beyond for this community-wide celebration of creativity, history, and America’s 250th!

10. Nineteenth Amendment, 1920The Nineteenth Amendment prohibits states from denying the right to vote to citizens of ...
07/22/2026

10. Nineteenth Amendment, 1920

The Nineteenth Amendment prohibits states from denying the right to vote to citizens of the U.S. on the basis of s*x, which in effect granted women the right to vote. Starting in 1878, women’s rights activists such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul and Carrie Chapman Catt campaigned for suffrage, arguing that women deserved the same political rights as men. Their efforts included organizing protests, delivering speeches, and petitioning lawmakers for change. The amendment’s ratification allowed millions of women to participate in elections, in practice the same barriers that hindered the ability of non-white men to vote now also applied to non-white women.

This cartoon, featuring Lady Liberty, wearing a cape labeled "VOTES FOR WOMEN", standing astride the states (colored white) that had adopted suffrage, was featured in Puck Magazine, 1915.

Photo credit: Henry Mayer, “The Awakening,” Puck Magazine, February 20, 1915, 14-15.

07/12/2026

The Sam Rayburn Museum will be closed on Monday, July 13th for exhibit prep. The Museum will resume regular hours on Tuesday. We apologize for any inconvenience.

07/08/2026

Be part of history in the making! Join us at the Briscoe-Garner Museum on July 8 for a special community reading of the Declaration of Independence and celebrate the spirit of America together.

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Just four days later, on July 8, it was read aloud to the public for the first time. Now, nearly 250 years later, Americans across all 50 states and 16 territories will come together on July 8, 2026, to read the Declaration of Independence—united across thousands of miles and nine time zones. 🇺🇸

9. Seventeenth Amendment, 1913The Seventeenth Amendment changed the way U.S. senators are elected, establishing direct...
07/07/2026

9. Seventeenth Amendment, 1913

The Seventeenth Amendment changed the way U.S. senators are elected, establishing direct election by the voters of each state. Prior to the amendment, senators were appointed by state legislatures, a system established in Article I of the Constitution. Calls for reform began as early as 1826, but didn’t gain widespread support until 1910, when most state legislatures had passed resolutions calling for a constitutional amendment allowing direct election. Supporters of the amendment believe it made senators more accountable to their constituents, who now had the power to choose who represented them. The amendment also altered the procedure for filling vacancies in the Senate, allowing the “executive authority,” in most cases the governor, to make temporary appointments until a special election was held.

Please make a note, the museum will be closed Saturday, July 4th
07/02/2026

Please make a note, the museum will be closed Saturday, July 4th

Address

800 W Sam Rayburn Drive
Bonham, TX
75418

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

(903) 583-2455

Website

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