How Did Texas Contribute To Society

The first known African American to arrive in Texas was named Estevanico. In 1528, he was brought to Texas as a slave. It took the efforts of many people of many different races to make Texas what it is today and to help the state slowly move forward from the dark days of slavery, racism, segregations, and oppression. Along the way, African American Texans have contributed to the culture of the state, and many black Texans made historical contributions as well. All of African American Texan’s history is important but the time periods that had the most impact were the Mexican National Era, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the era of Civil Rights and Conservatism.

The Mexican National Era took place around the 1820’s and the 1830’s. It
Sam Houston helped Texas gain its independence from Mexico, and he was also the first president of the Republic of Texas. When Texas became a state, Sam Houston became a US senator. At the beginning of the Civil War, Sam Houston had recently been elected as Governor of the state of Texas. Sam Houston opposed succession and was pro-union. In response, Texas kicked him out of office and replaced him with Lt. Governor Ed Clark. Texas joined the Confederacy because it was dependent on slavery for cotton crops and was afraid that the economy would be destroyed without slavery. Ironically, cotton production boomed after the Civil War. After the Civil War, blacks were freed in Texas and the US because of the 13th amendment. Because of that, more blacks moved to Texas including the Buffalo Soldiers. The Buffalo Soldiers were an all African-American regiment that fought for the Union. After the war, they moved Westward to fight the Native Americans and to help with the settlements. The 14th and 15th amendments were supposed to ensure fundamental rights for all Americans, but Texas and other states created Jim Crow Laws to continue discrimination and segregation. Opposition to these laws began the Civil Rights