| Texas Black History Preservation Project Documenting the Complete African American Experience in Texas -- Know your history, know yourself" |
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Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
| "Old" L.C. Anderson High School Exhibit Opens in Austin (June, 2012) Austin's George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center recently opened a permanent exhibit based on the city's original L.C. Anderson High School, whose history dates to 1889 as the first school in Austin for African Americans. The school, located in East Austin, closed in 1971 with the onset of integration, but the name was transferred to a new facility in West Austin. The Carver exhibit features trophies, band costumes, photos, newsclips, and other memorabilia relative to the school whose athletic teams were called the "Yellow Jackets." A video featuring Anderson alumni talking about their experiences at the school is also available. Anderson produced pro football greats Dick "Night Train" Lane and Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson. The museum is located at 1165 Angelina St. |
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
| “Rising Up!” – Woodruff murals on display in Dallas The African American Museum in Dallas is displaying the set of murals painted by Hale Aspacio Woodruff for Talladega College in 1938. The exhibit, on display until Feb. 28, depicts events in black history. The restored murals are touring for the first time through a collaboration of Talladega (in Alabama), which owns the murals, and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. The murals are comprised of six canvases depicting black history events such as the uprising on the slave ship La Amistad and scenes from the underground railroad. The exhibit also includes oil studies, paintings, drawings, and photographs used by Woodruff in constructing the murals, and examples of other relevant small scale mural cycles by Woodruff. |
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
| The African American Museum in Dallas is displaying the set of murals painted by Hale Aspacio Woodruff for Talladega College in 1938. The exhibit, on display until Feb. 28 (2013), depicts events in black history. The restored murals are touring for the first time through a collaboration of Talladega (in Alabama), which owns the murals, and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. The murals are comprised of six canvases depicting black history events such as the uprising on the slave ship La Amistad and scenes from the underground railroad. The exhibit also includes oil studies, paintings, drawings, and photographs used by Woodruff in constructing the murals, and examples of other relevant small scale mural cycles by Woodruff. |
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
Austin Eastside Story Foundation
Scroll to lower right corner for full screen
Austin Anderson's 1953 State Championship Band
(click image to enlarge)
(click image to enlarge)
| B.L. Joyce Band Director |
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
| John "Mule" Miles 1922-2013 Tuskegee Airman, Negro League Baseball, and PVIL Legend |
| Prairie View Interscholastic League legend and a Tuskegee Airman, passed away on May 24, 2013 at age 90 in San Antonio, his home town. Miles had been in declining Miles was born on August 11, 1922 in San Antonio and though he picked up baseball in early childhood, it was both baseball and basketball that he excelled in at Phillis Wheatley High School, a Prairie View Interscho-lastic League member school. “Wheatley was a special school,” Miles once said. “I learned a lot from my teachers. They made you study. They were tough but they were fond of their students. They took an interest in us.” After high school, while employed as a mechanic at Fort Sam Houston in 1942 he was U.S. State Department officials asked him to participate in a new air training |
Video tribute to Miles by Anthony Edwards of San Antonio.
(scroll down and to bottom right corner for "full screen" icon)
(scroll down and to bottom right corner for "full screen" icon)
| program in Alabama providing civilian mechanics to support the 99th Pursuit Squadron. Miles was one of 50 blacks selected to go to Alabama to train and provide ongoing support for the Tuskegee Airmen in training.For his service, Miles is considered an original Tuskegee Airman. "We had it hard at Tuskegee; buildings weren't completed when we got there, it was hard, but we made it. I wasn't complaining, because at Tuskegee, I learned a trade, I learned how to work with my hands – to do something," Miles recalled. His baseball career began in 1946 when a scout from the Negro Leagues saw him play for the Kelly Air Force Base Bombers and offered Miles a tryout. He was signed as a third baseman and outfielder by the Chicago American Giants after a tryout in Jackson, Miss. Miles played four seasons with the Giants. In 1947, he had a .250 batting average and hit a record 11 home runs in 11 consecutive games, a feat unequalled by anyone in Major League Baseball. In 1948, Miles hit 27 home runs. Candy Jim Taylor, Miles’ manager with the Giants, gave him the nickname “Mule,” saying that he “hit like a mule kicks.” Miles played with greats such as Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks and Satchel Paige. “Playing in the Negro Leagues was one of the greatest things I ever did, to play baseball at the major league level,” he said. “I didn't make a lot of money, but I had a lot of fun.” Among his many honors, Miles was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2000, to the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame in 2009, and to the PVIL Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2010. |
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
Willie Mae Kirk and son, Ron
| Willie Mae Kirk Legendary Austin Civil Rights and Community Activist Passes Willie Mae Kirk, a longtime Civil Rights activist in Austin, passed away at age 92 on Saturday September 28. Kirk’ s youngest child, of four children, is Ron Kirk, former Dallas Mayor and U.S. Trade Representative. Her husband, Lee, died in 1982 and had been Austin’s first African-American postal clerk. Ms. Kirk, affectionately known as “Ankie,” was a teacher for 32 years, but during the 1950s and 1960s was a leading advocate for civil rights and school desegregation. She also worked to open public facilities (such as the popular Barton Springs pool) in Austin to black citizens. Kirk’s humanity and her love and concern for the welfare of all children never waned and neither did her enthusiasm for public service. Because of her profound impact on the Austin community, the Oak Springs Public Library in East Austin was renamed in her honor last year. Read more about her in an in-depth interview conducted in 2009 by Diane Holloway, formerly of the Travis County Democratic Party: http://www.traviscountydemocrats.org/2013/09/a-true-star-willie-mae-kirk/. |
Parade Honors Legendary Band Director, features East Austin Youth Musicians
| A parade wound through East Austin on the evening of March 29, 2013 fostering community pride and unity, but also honoring Benjamin Lee Joyce, the late band director who was the first African American to hold such a position in the Austin Independent School District. The parade began at Huston-Tillotson University (7th and Chicon) and concluded at the George Washington Carver Museum (1165 Angelina St.) with a brief program and community jam session featuring musical performances by high school and middle school bands. Joyce, from Plaquemine, La., was director at old L.C. Anderson High School (with an all-black enrollment) from 1933 -1955. Joyce, a tailor by trade, even designed and made all of the band uniforms. Under his direction, Anderson won the Prairie View Interscholastic League state band championship seven out of the nine times they participated. In 2006, Joyce was inducted to the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. Though Joyce had a "no jazz" policy for his band, among his many students who went on to successful music careers were Kenny Dorham and Gil Askey. Dorham was one of the great trumpet pioneers of the bebop era in the 1940s and 1950s, who worked with many of the bebop giants including Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. Askey also played trumpet and worked with jazz and big band greats, and became a composer, producer and musical director who was instrumental in creating the Motown sound for groups such as Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Four Tops, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5, and Gladys Knight and the Pips. Askey was nominated for an Academy Award for his arrangements on the soundtrack for the 1972 film "Lady Sings The Blues." "A lot of my friend's were in Mr. Joyce's band," said Larry Jackson, who has organized the parade for several years. Four years ago, he renamed the parade in honor of Joyce. Initially, it had carried the name of Joyce's successor and protegee, Alvin Patterson. However, the parade is an extension of Jackson's long-time service to the Austin community. He has put together and led several educational and band programs for Austin youth primarily through his Austin Eastside Story Foundation which began in 1996. "The city asked me to put together something around the Texas Relays because so many blacks were coming to town (for that event)." The Texas Relays were being held on the University of Texas campus the weekend of the parade. Jackson, 64, started his band programs in response to a waning interest from black students in joining high school bands. In June, he will hold his third annual Southeast Bound University & Cultural Tour, taking high academic achieving black and hispanic students from Austin on an eight-day trip through the South to Florida visiting 10 historically black colleges along the way seeking scholarships for the students. He is also planning future trips taking students to China, France, Japan, and England. Said Jackson: "I want to introduce them to the international scene and make them aware that there's a world bigger than East Austin and that there are other pursuits beyond football and basketball." |
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
Symposium Honoring the Legacy of the PVIL: "Thursday Night Lights"
The enduring legacy of the Prairie View Interscholastic League and all the great coaches, athletes, and others the league and
its member schools produced will be celebrated during a two-day event at the University of Texas AT&T Conference Center
(1900 University Avenue) on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Participants will include David Lattin, Houston Worthing legend who was
Texas' first prep basketball All-America, Port Arthur Lincoln running back Joe Washington, Jr., and his dad Coach Joe
Washington, Sr., Houston Kashmere running back Delvin Williams, and Dallas Lincoln track star Beverly Day Humphrey,
now a successful coach at Lancaster High School.
The PVIL governed athletic, academic, and band competitions for Texas' black high schools from 1920-1970 before merging
with the University Interscholastic League (UIL). The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. on the 31st during which a
documentary film about the PVIL will debut. New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden, author of "Forty Million Dollar
Slaves," will be keynote speaker.
Friday's four sessions, beginning at 9:45 a.m. will be: "The History of the PVIL and Education in Texas," "Athletics During
the Era of the PVIL," "The Transition: Integration and the Merger with UIL," and "The PVIL’s Legacy In Austin: A View from
Old Anderson High School."
The event is being presented by UT's Warfield Center for African and African American Studies and the Texas Black History
Preservation Project in co-operation with the PVILCA. Parking for the event is available in the Center's garage.
The enduring legacy of the Prairie View Interscholastic League and all the great coaches, athletes, and others the league and
its member schools produced will be celebrated during a two-day event at the University of Texas AT&T Conference Center
(1900 University Avenue) on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Participants will include David Lattin, Houston Worthing legend who was
Texas' first prep basketball All-America, Port Arthur Lincoln running back Joe Washington, Jr., and his dad Coach Joe
Washington, Sr., Houston Kashmere running back Delvin Williams, and Dallas Lincoln track star Beverly Day Humphrey,
now a successful coach at Lancaster High School.
The PVIL governed athletic, academic, and band competitions for Texas' black high schools from 1920-1970 before merging
with the University Interscholastic League (UIL). The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. on the 31st during which a
documentary film about the PVIL will debut. New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden, author of "Forty Million Dollar
Slaves," will be keynote speaker.
Friday's four sessions, beginning at 9:45 a.m. will be: "The History of the PVIL and Education in Texas," "Athletics During
the Era of the PVIL," "The Transition: Integration and the Merger with UIL," and "The PVIL’s Legacy In Austin: A View from
Old Anderson High School."
The event is being presented by UT's Warfield Center for African and African American Studies and the Texas Black History
Preservation Project in co-operation with the PVILCA. Parking for the event is available in the Center's garage.
(click to enlarge)
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
| Strong Named UT Football Head Coach First Male African American Head Coach in School's History |
The University of Texas at Austin made a historic hire on Jan. 5, 2014 when it was announced that Charlie Strong would
become the school's new head football coach, making him the program's 29th head coach and the first African American to
hold the position since UT began playing football in 1893. In fact, Strong is the first black coach for any of the school's major
men's programs.
Strong, 59, signed a five-year deal paying him $5 million annually as one of the highest paid coaches in the country.
"When you think about it, yes, this is a historical day," the former Louisville coach said at his introductory press
conference. "It was a historical day when (Barack Obama) was named the president of the United States also. But I don’t ever
want to look at it as the first. I just want to look at it as I’m a coach, and that’s the way I want to be treated.”
become the school's new head football coach, making him the program's 29th head coach and the first African American to
hold the position since UT began playing football in 1893. In fact, Strong is the first black coach for any of the school's major
men's programs.
Strong, 59, signed a five-year deal paying him $5 million annually as one of the highest paid coaches in the country.
"When you think about it, yes, this is a historical day," the former Louisville coach said at his introductory press
conference. "It was a historical day when (Barack Obama) was named the president of the United States also. But I don’t ever
want to look at it as the first. I just want to look at it as I’m a coach, and that’s the way I want to be treated.”
An official historical marker commemorating the origin and meaning of Juneteenth was dedicated during a ceremony on Saturday, June 21, 2014 in downtown
Galveston at the intersection of 22nd Street and The Strand, the former site of headquarters for Union Gen. Gordon Granger. The marker was awarded by the
Texas Historical Commission.
On June 19, 1865, one day after arriving in Galveston, Granger officially announced the end of slavery two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln
had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation applied only to the Confederate states, including Texas – not border states where slaves could still
be held. The Confederates ignored the edict until after the Civil War's end though some slaves reported they remained in bondage for several years after the
proclamation.
Because there was no Union army presence in Texas – the state experienced only a few skirmishes during the war – word of slavery's end was slow to reach
the state. Since 1866, Black Texans have annually celebrated "Emancipation Day" on June 19 with picnics, parades, programs and other festive activities as a day to
recognize African American community, history, and achievement. In 1980, the day became an official state holiday and now 42 other states and the District of
Columbia recognize Juneteenth as either a state holiday or special day of observance.
"The establishment of a Juneteenth Marker in downtown Galveston will allow all visitors to our historic downtown to appreciate the significance of what
happened on June 19, 1865," said Hank Thierry, Chair of Galveston Historical Foundation’s African American Heritage Committee. "Our committee believes the
marker placement in downtown Galveston gives the most accurate, documented, historically significant venue to honor Juneteenth. The world will now know
the exact location where General Granger issued General Order No. 3”
For years, it's been said that Granger read the order to the public from a balcony at Ashton Villa (built in 1858 as one of the first brick houses in Texas) where
he also may have resided during his stay in Galveston as commander of the District of Texas. While there is no direct proof that the Villa was the site of the
reading, reenactments of the occasion have taken place there. General Order No. 3 was one of five orders Granger delivered that day establishing his authority
over the rest of Texas and laying out the initial priorities of his administration. Order No. 3 said: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a
proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property, between
former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing between them, becomes that between employer and hired labor. The Freedmen are advised to
remain at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and they will not be supported in
idleness either there or elsewhere."
Speakers for the ceremony included elected officials from across the state of Texas.
Among the event's sponsors were the Galveston County Historical Commission and the Galveston Historical Foundation. The Texas Historical Commission is
the state agency for historic preservation and administers a variety of programs to preserve the archeological, historical and cultural resources of Texas. Texas has
the largest marker program in the United States with approximately 15,000 markers.
Galveston at the intersection of 22nd Street and The Strand, the former site of headquarters for Union Gen. Gordon Granger. The marker was awarded by the
Texas Historical Commission.
On June 19, 1865, one day after arriving in Galveston, Granger officially announced the end of slavery two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln
had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation applied only to the Confederate states, including Texas – not border states where slaves could still
be held. The Confederates ignored the edict until after the Civil War's end though some slaves reported they remained in bondage for several years after the
proclamation.
Because there was no Union army presence in Texas – the state experienced only a few skirmishes during the war – word of slavery's end was slow to reach
the state. Since 1866, Black Texans have annually celebrated "Emancipation Day" on June 19 with picnics, parades, programs and other festive activities as a day to
recognize African American community, history, and achievement. In 1980, the day became an official state holiday and now 42 other states and the District of
Columbia recognize Juneteenth as either a state holiday or special day of observance.
"The establishment of a Juneteenth Marker in downtown Galveston will allow all visitors to our historic downtown to appreciate the significance of what
happened on June 19, 1865," said Hank Thierry, Chair of Galveston Historical Foundation’s African American Heritage Committee. "Our committee believes the
marker placement in downtown Galveston gives the most accurate, documented, historically significant venue to honor Juneteenth. The world will now know
the exact location where General Granger issued General Order No. 3”
For years, it's been said that Granger read the order to the public from a balcony at Ashton Villa (built in 1858 as one of the first brick houses in Texas) where
he also may have resided during his stay in Galveston as commander of the District of Texas. While there is no direct proof that the Villa was the site of the
reading, reenactments of the occasion have taken place there. General Order No. 3 was one of five orders Granger delivered that day establishing his authority
over the rest of Texas and laying out the initial priorities of his administration. Order No. 3 said: "The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a
proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property, between
former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing between them, becomes that between employer and hired labor. The Freedmen are advised to
remain at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and they will not be supported in
idleness either there or elsewhere."
Speakers for the ceremony included elected officials from across the state of Texas.
Among the event's sponsors were the Galveston County Historical Commission and the Galveston Historical Foundation. The Texas Historical Commission is
the state agency for historic preservation and administers a variety of programs to preserve the archeological, historical and cultural resources of Texas. Texas has
the largest marker program in the United States with approximately 15,000 markers.
| Juneteenth historical marker dedicated in Galveston |
Granger
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
Ashton Villa
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
Austin honors 22 African American civic leaders; launches annual Portrait Project
The African American Portrait Project, which will be an annual event, was launched on June 9, 2014 as officials from the City of Austin unveiled 22 tiled The
unveiling was part of a standing-room only reception for honorees, their family and friends celebrating black citizens who have made a long-lasting impact in
Austin and who were – or continue to be – pioneers in their areas of service. The ceremonies took place in front of the Heritage Facility's glass, stone, and tiled
mosaic “Reflections” mural (by artist Reginald C. Adams) which was unveiled in March 2013 and pays tribute to many important people, places and events in the
history of Austin’s African American community. (Mural image here.)
As a continuation of the mural, which already had 89 portraits, the African American Portrait Project will annually add more images. The new portraits
border the mosaic artwork's sides, the original images line the top and bottom of the mural.
The new portrait honorees include: attorney and NAACP State President Gary Bledsoe, folklorist John Mason Brewer, State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, former
Austin Police Captain Louis White, and Wallace Jefferson, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. (For a complete list of honorees, click here.)
The newly added portraits can be seen vertically bordering each side of the “Reflections” artwork mosaic. The African American Resource Advisory Commission
oversees the portrait profile selection process.
“There were so many great submissions that the Commission felt compelled to find a way to include more outstanding African Americans," said Commission
Chairman Greg Smith. "We are happy the artist and the Commission were able to collaborate to include more honorees annually to the beautiful mural.”
unveiling was part of a standing-room only reception for honorees, their family and friends celebrating black citizens who have made a long-lasting impact in
Austin and who were – or continue to be – pioneers in their areas of service. The ceremonies took place in front of the Heritage Facility's glass, stone, and tiled
mosaic “Reflections” mural (by artist Reginald C. Adams) which was unveiled in March 2013 and pays tribute to many important people, places and events in the
history of Austin’s African American community. (Mural image here.)
As a continuation of the mural, which already had 89 portraits, the African American Portrait Project will annually add more images. The new portraits
border the mosaic artwork's sides, the original images line the top and bottom of the mural.
The new portrait honorees include: attorney and NAACP State President Gary Bledsoe, folklorist John Mason Brewer, State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, former
Austin Police Captain Louis White, and Wallace Jefferson, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. (For a complete list of honorees, click here.)
The newly added portraits can be seen vertically bordering each side of the “Reflections” artwork mosaic. The African American Resource Advisory Commission
oversees the portrait profile selection process.
“There were so many great submissions that the Commission felt compelled to find a way to include more outstanding African Americans," said Commission
Chairman Greg Smith. "We are happy the artist and the Commission were able to collaborate to include more honorees annually to the beautiful mural.”
The University of Texas made a historic hire on Jan. 5 when it was announced that Charlie Strong would become the school’s new head football coach,
making him the program’s 29th head coach and the first African American to hold the position since UT began playing football in 1893. In fact, Strong is the first
black coach for any of the school’s major men’s programs.
Strong, 59, signed a five-year deal paying him $5 million annually making him one of the highest paid coaches in the country.
“When you think about it, yes, this is a historical day,” the former Louisville coach said at his introductory press conference. “It was a historical day when
(Barack Obama) was named the president of the United States also. But I don’t ever want to look at it as the first. I just want to look at it as, I’m a coach and that’
s the way I want to be treated.”
Though the Longhorns have never had a male black head coach, UT’s new Athletic Director Steve Patterson supposedly was considering four black coaches,
including Strong, to fill the vacancy created when Mack Brown stepped down at the end of the season after guiding the Longhorns for 16 years. Other black
coaches mentioned as possibilities to fill the position were Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin, Stanford’s David Shaw, and Vanderbilt’s James Franklin.
Sumlin became the first black head football coach at Texas A&M in December 2011 and has guided the Aggies to a 20-6 record and a No. 5 national ranking in
2012. He signed a new six-year deal with A&M on November 30.
The University of Texas first admitted black undergraduate students in 1956, but they were not allowed to play varsity sports until 1963 when Austinite James
Means, Jr. joined the track team. Means became UT’s first Black letterman and the first black athlete in the Southwest Conference. The Longhorns didn’t have
their first African-American football player until 1967 in E.A. Curry, a walk-on, who made the freshman team, but left after one season. In 1968, Leon O’Neal
became the team’s first scholarship player, but he also only lasted one season. However, that same year offensive lineman Julius Whittier joined the team and
would become Texas’ first black football letterman (for three years) and was a three-year starter.
In 1969, Texas fielded the last all-white national championship team, three years after John Westbrook (Baylor) and Jerry LeVias (Southern Methodist) became
the first black football players in the Southwest Conference.
For years, the university has struggled with diversifying its student body and faculty and in June the U.S. Supreme Court remanded the case of Fisher v.
Texas, a case in which the school is fighting to uphold its affirmative action admission policies. Strong’s hiring is expected to be a large step towards improving
diversity at the school.
”We’ve got the right football coach,” UT President Bill Powers said. “All the things we were looking for are embodied in Charlie Strong. It’s important we
reflect the diversity of our state and our country so I think this is a very important moment for our university. It won’t be the last. We’ve made tremendous
strides in diversity over the last decade. A lot of people have worked very hard on that and this is another very important moment for our university.”
Strong, a native of Batesville, Ark., was 37-15 at Louisville, his first head coaching position. He attended Central Arkansas State and was a four-year letterman
(1980-83) as a safety. Strong has been highly lauded for his 11 seasons as a defensive coordinator in the Southeastern Conference, specifically at the University of
Florida on the staff of head coach Urban Meyer for two national championship teams (2006, 2008).
At Louisville, Strong inherited a program that had back-to-back losing seasons (5-7 in 2008, 4-8 in 2009). However, after 7-6 finishes in his first two seasons
with the Cardinals, his teams finished 11-2 and 12-1 and upset No. 4 Florida in the 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Louisville won two Big East Conference
Championships (2011, 2012) and Strong was named Big East Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2012. He took Louisville to four straight bowl game appearances,
winning three. Prior to his arrival, the Cardinals had won only six bowl games in the program’s 100-year history.
making him the program’s 29th head coach and the first African American to hold the position since UT began playing football in 1893. In fact, Strong is the first
black coach for any of the school’s major men’s programs.
Strong, 59, signed a five-year deal paying him $5 million annually making him one of the highest paid coaches in the country.
“When you think about it, yes, this is a historical day,” the former Louisville coach said at his introductory press conference. “It was a historical day when
(Barack Obama) was named the president of the United States also. But I don’t ever want to look at it as the first. I just want to look at it as, I’m a coach and that’
s the way I want to be treated.”
Though the Longhorns have never had a male black head coach, UT’s new Athletic Director Steve Patterson supposedly was considering four black coaches,
including Strong, to fill the vacancy created when Mack Brown stepped down at the end of the season after guiding the Longhorns for 16 years. Other black
coaches mentioned as possibilities to fill the position were Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin, Stanford’s David Shaw, and Vanderbilt’s James Franklin.
Sumlin became the first black head football coach at Texas A&M in December 2011 and has guided the Aggies to a 20-6 record and a No. 5 national ranking in
2012. He signed a new six-year deal with A&M on November 30.
The University of Texas first admitted black undergraduate students in 1956, but they were not allowed to play varsity sports until 1963 when Austinite James
Means, Jr. joined the track team. Means became UT’s first Black letterman and the first black athlete in the Southwest Conference. The Longhorns didn’t have
their first African-American football player until 1967 in E.A. Curry, a walk-on, who made the freshman team, but left after one season. In 1968, Leon O’Neal
became the team’s first scholarship player, but he also only lasted one season. However, that same year offensive lineman Julius Whittier joined the team and
would become Texas’ first black football letterman (for three years) and was a three-year starter.
In 1969, Texas fielded the last all-white national championship team, three years after John Westbrook (Baylor) and Jerry LeVias (Southern Methodist) became
the first black football players in the Southwest Conference.
For years, the university has struggled with diversifying its student body and faculty and in June the U.S. Supreme Court remanded the case of Fisher v.
Texas, a case in which the school is fighting to uphold its affirmative action admission policies. Strong’s hiring is expected to be a large step towards improving
diversity at the school.
”We’ve got the right football coach,” UT President Bill Powers said. “All the things we were looking for are embodied in Charlie Strong. It’s important we
reflect the diversity of our state and our country so I think this is a very important moment for our university. It won’t be the last. We’ve made tremendous
strides in diversity over the last decade. A lot of people have worked very hard on that and this is another very important moment for our university.”
Strong, a native of Batesville, Ark., was 37-15 at Louisville, his first head coaching position. He attended Central Arkansas State and was a four-year letterman
(1980-83) as a safety. Strong has been highly lauded for his 11 seasons as a defensive coordinator in the Southeastern Conference, specifically at the University of
Florida on the staff of head coach Urban Meyer for two national championship teams (2006, 2008).
At Louisville, Strong inherited a program that had back-to-back losing seasons (5-7 in 2008, 4-8 in 2009). However, after 7-6 finishes in his first two seasons
with the Cardinals, his teams finished 11-2 and 12-1 and upset No. 4 Florida in the 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Louisville won two Big East Conference
Championships (2011, 2012) and Strong was named Big East Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2012. He took Louisville to four straight bowl game appearances,
winning three. Prior to his arrival, the Cardinals had won only six bowl games in the program’s 100-year history.
Texas Black History...Now
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
History-related news and events from African American communities around the state
Wells Fargo and the Houston Museum of African American Culture are presenting "African
American Treasures from The Kinsey Collection," from Aug. 2-Oct. 26. The Kinsey Collection is
one of the largest private collections of African American art and spans over 400 years of black
history. For the HMAAC, the showing celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of
1964.
The museum is located at 4807 Caroline Street.
The Kinsey Collection, on a multi-city national tour, includes artifacts and works of art
commemorating the artistic, historic and cultural contributions of African Americans. The
exhibition seeks to dispel myths and promote dialogue about the role of African Americans in the
making of America.
The exhibition's combination of original documents, rare books, paintings, early photographs
and modern sculptures is meant to create a unique and diverse experience, bringing history to life
through art and artifacts. Included are seldom displayed artifacts, such as an early edition of
Solomon Northrup's "12 Years a Slave," the basis of the Academy Award-winning film. Works
from Houston artists John Biggers and Lionel Lofton will also be featured.
The Kinsey Collection has been viewed by over 3 million people and was on display at the
Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
The collection is owned by Los Angeles philanthropist, entrepreneur, and management
consultant Bernard W. Kinsey who has consulted on economic development with the
governments of South Africa, Germany, the U.K., and France and was appointed Honorary
Consul General by the U.S. State Department and the Central African Republic. In 20 years with
the Xerox Corporation, Kinsey was one of the pioneers in breaking down racial barriers in
corporate America and holds the distinction of achieving number one status in every sales and
marketing position he held from 1968 through 1984.
American Treasures from The Kinsey Collection," from Aug. 2-Oct. 26. The Kinsey Collection is
one of the largest private collections of African American art and spans over 400 years of black
history. For the HMAAC, the showing celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of
1964.
The museum is located at 4807 Caroline Street.
The Kinsey Collection, on a multi-city national tour, includes artifacts and works of art
commemorating the artistic, historic and cultural contributions of African Americans. The
exhibition seeks to dispel myths and promote dialogue about the role of African Americans in the
making of America.
The exhibition's combination of original documents, rare books, paintings, early photographs
and modern sculptures is meant to create a unique and diverse experience, bringing history to life
through art and artifacts. Included are seldom displayed artifacts, such as an early edition of
Solomon Northrup's "12 Years a Slave," the basis of the Academy Award-winning film. Works
from Houston artists John Biggers and Lionel Lofton will also be featured.
The Kinsey Collection has been viewed by over 3 million people and was on display at the
Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
The collection is owned by Los Angeles philanthropist, entrepreneur, and management
consultant Bernard W. Kinsey who has consulted on economic development with the
governments of South Africa, Germany, the U.K., and France and was appointed Honorary
Consul General by the U.S. State Department and the Central African Republic. In 20 years with
the Xerox Corporation, Kinsey was one of the pioneers in breaking down racial barriers in
corporate America and holds the distinction of achieving number one status in every sales and
marketing position he held from 1968 through 1984.
| "The Cultivators," Oil on Canvas, Samuel L. Dunson, Jr. The Kinsey Collection |
Renowned Kinsey Collection on display in
Houston, Aug. 2-Oct. 26
Houston, Aug. 2-Oct. 26
| Texas Black History...Now History-related news and events from African American communities around the state |
#MyUntold
Wells Fargo launches storytelling campaign
for African Americans
Wells Fargo launches storytelling campaign
for African Americans
Wells Fargo Bank is giving everyday African Americans an opportunity to tell their stories as a way to present new and varied perspectives on what it means
to be African American. In the company's "#MyUntold" storytelling movement, members of the community are invited to submit their stories on social media
platforms in video, pictures, or words by using the phrase #MyUntold.
The program was launched on Oct. 6 after Wells Fargo spent several months recording over a hundred stories at black community events, such as Juneteenth
celebrations, in Houston and Atlanta where the company had sponsored showings of the renowned Kinsey Art Collection of artifacts and works of art
commemorating black history and culture. The exhibit was presented to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
"It's been pretty amazing, inspiring and authentic," said Lisa Frison, Wells Fargo's African American Segment Manager for Enterprise Marketing, Strategy and
Segments. "African American history is American history, and this is a broader opportunity to get modern African Americans to tell their stories."
The stories currently available are posted on the Wells Fargo YouTube page and include a man’s momentous conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the
night before King's assassination; a young woman telling how she began to see beyond race because of her experience in the military; and a taekwondo champion
sharing how her experience in the sport made her feel strong and accomplished.
#MyUnTold also connects to the company's story – a desire to recognize and respect the diversity in its customers since its founding in 1852 by Henry Wells
and William Fargo to begin serving settlers in the Western U.S. by offering banking (buying gold, and selling paper bank drafts as good as gold) and express (rapid
delivery of the gold and anything else valuable). Wells Fargo opened for business in the gold rush port of San Francisco, where the company is still headquartered,
and then in other new towns and mining camps of the West.
An instruction booklet distributed to Wells Fargo agents in 1888 noted, “Proper respect must be shown to all – let them be men, women, or children, rich or
poor, white or black – it must not be forgotten that the Company is dependent on these same people for its business.”
"This is part of our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion," Frison said, "creating this platform to tell stories. It's important to authenticate them. We
want people to get involved in the conversation because history is being made every day, past and present. Storytelling is an important tradition in the black
community. People should take the time to document and share stories, look through photo albums, and understand the stories behind those images. Don't let
them fizzle out."
To share your untold story, simply enter the phrase #MyUntold on Facebook, Twitter, etc. To view videos from the campaign, visit the Wells Fargo YouTube
page. For suggestions on creating and sharing your story, see the Wells Fargo storytelling tip sheetclick here.
to be African American. In the company's "#MyUntold" storytelling movement, members of the community are invited to submit their stories on social media
platforms in video, pictures, or words by using the phrase #MyUntold.
The program was launched on Oct. 6 after Wells Fargo spent several months recording over a hundred stories at black community events, such as Juneteenth
celebrations, in Houston and Atlanta where the company had sponsored showings of the renowned Kinsey Art Collection of artifacts and works of art
commemorating black history and culture. The exhibit was presented to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
"It's been pretty amazing, inspiring and authentic," said Lisa Frison, Wells Fargo's African American Segment Manager for Enterprise Marketing, Strategy and
Segments. "African American history is American history, and this is a broader opportunity to get modern African Americans to tell their stories."
The stories currently available are posted on the Wells Fargo YouTube page and include a man’s momentous conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the
night before King's assassination; a young woman telling how she began to see beyond race because of her experience in the military; and a taekwondo champion
sharing how her experience in the sport made her feel strong and accomplished.
#MyUnTold also connects to the company's story – a desire to recognize and respect the diversity in its customers since its founding in 1852 by Henry Wells
and William Fargo to begin serving settlers in the Western U.S. by offering banking (buying gold, and selling paper bank drafts as good as gold) and express (rapid
delivery of the gold and anything else valuable). Wells Fargo opened for business in the gold rush port of San Francisco, where the company is still headquartered,
and then in other new towns and mining camps of the West.
An instruction booklet distributed to Wells Fargo agents in 1888 noted, “Proper respect must be shown to all – let them be men, women, or children, rich or
poor, white or black – it must not be forgotten that the Company is dependent on these same people for its business.”
"This is part of our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion," Frison said, "creating this platform to tell stories. It's important to authenticate them. We
want people to get involved in the conversation because history is being made every day, past and present. Storytelling is an important tradition in the black
community. People should take the time to document and share stories, look through photo albums, and understand the stories behind those images. Don't let
them fizzle out."
To share your untold story, simply enter the phrase #MyUntold on Facebook, Twitter, etc. To view videos from the campaign, visit the Wells Fargo YouTube
page. For suggestions on creating and sharing your story, see the Wells Fargo storytelling tip sheetclick here.
