Texas Black History Makers

10/11/2026

09/20/2026

oday in Texas Black History — September 20, 1990

On this date, Paul Quinn College began its first semester in Dallas after relocating from Waco. A statement issued by the college confirms that its first semester in its new home began September 20, 1990, while the Texas State Historical Association confirms the institution—founded by African Methodist Episcopal Church leaders in 1872—is Texas’s oldest African American liberal-arts college.

09/16/2026

September 16, 1888, the St. Peter Claver school and church project was completed in San Antonio. The Texas State Historical Association identifies it as the first Catholic school and church for Black people in Texas. Margaret Mary Healy-Murphy spearheaded the institution despite significant racial opposition; her work later contributed to the formation of the Sisters of the Holy Ghost, later the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate.

09/12/2026

✊🏾 TODAY IN TEXAS BLACK HISTORY — SEPTEMBER 12

On September 12, 1977, Texas native Azie Taylor Morton made American history when President Jimmy Carter appointed her the 36th Treasurer of the United States. She became the first—and remains the only—African American to hold the office.

Born on February 1, 1936, in Dale, Texas, Morton rose from humble beginnings to one of the most visible financial positions in the federal government. During her tenure from 1977 to 1981, her signature appeared on U.S. currency, permanently placing the name of a Black Texas woman on American money.

Her journey represents more than a historic appointment. It is a reminder that Black Texans have helped shape American government, public service, education, business and economic life—even when the doors of opportunity were difficult to open.

Today, we remember Azie Taylor Morton: a Texas trailblazer whose signature became part of American history.

Know Our History. Protect Our Rights. Build Our Future.

— Texas Black Politics
Our History. Our Voice. Our Power.

09/01/2026

September 1, 1964 — Dr. Ervin S. Perry becomes the first Black faculty member at the University of Texas at Austin. The Texas State Historical Association gives the exact date: Perry became an assistant professor of civil engineering on September 1, 1964, making him the first African American appointed to professional faculty status at a major Southern university. University of Texas at Austin independently confirms that Perry was UT’s first Black faculty member and the first Black professor at a predominantly white Southern university.

Born in Coldspring, Texas, Perry graduated from Prairie View A&M University and earned both his master’s and Ph.D. in civil engineering from UT. Today, UT’s Perry-Castañeda Library carries his name and preserves his legacy.

08/21/2026

Texas milestone is the 1953 desegregation of the Houston Public Library system for Black high-school students and adults. The change came after Black Houston leaders—including voting-rights plaintiff Lonnie E. Smith—pressed for equal access; Houston implemented the change quietly, years before the city’s public schools began desegregating.

08/19/2026

Benjamin Banneker’s 1791 letter to Thomas Jefferson. On August 19, 1791, the Black mathematician, astronomer and almanac author directly challenged Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson over slavery and racial prejudice, invoking America’s own principles of liberty and equality. The National Park Service and Library of Congress independently document the letter and its significance.

08/16/2026

On August 16, 1870, a remarkable chapter of Black Texas history began at Fort Duncan near Eagle Pass. The U.S. Army mustered the first detachment of Black Seminole Scouts into service. Historical records identify John Kibbetts as their leader; he was appointed sergeant, with the initial detachment serving six-month enlistments.

The Black Seminoles had a complicated history stretching across Florida, Indian Territory, Mexico, and Texas. Their communities included descendants of Africans who had escaped slavery and developed close relationships with the Seminole people. Facing the threat of enslavement and re-enslavement, some migrated to Mexico in the 19th century.

When members of the community returned to Texas in 1870, the Army recognized their extraordinary abilities as trackers, horsemen, scouts and fighters. Their knowledge of the borderlands—as well as English, Spanish and Indigenous languages—made them especially valuable.

Their record became extraordinary. The scouts operated primarily from Fort Duncan and Fort Clark, undertaking dangerous expeditions across the rugged Texas frontier. According to the National Park Service, they participated in 26 expeditions and 12 battles without losing a scout in combat.

Four Black Seminole Scouts—John Ward, Isaac Payne, Pompey Factor and Adam Payne—received the Medal of Honor for their service.

Yet their history also contains an injustice. The Black Seminoles entered service believing the government would help provide for their families and ultimately address their hopes for land. Despite their distinguished military service, those land expectations were never fulfilled.

August 16 deserves a place on the Texas Black History calendar. It marks the beginning of a military unit whose courage, knowledge and resilience became part of the history of Texas and the American West.

Texas State Historical Association — Black Seminole Scouts⁠
National Park Service — Black Seminole Indian Scouts⁠