Black History Month, February 2021

In celebration of Black History Month, the Tarrant County Archives has gathered images and materials relating to the history of the Black community in Tarrant County. Collections range in date from the late nineteenth century to present day. All images and materials shown below are available to research and view by arranging an appointment to visit the Tarrant County Archives. Contact the Tarrant County Archives for more information.

 

Young African American woman, circa 1900

"Adopted Daughter of Rachel," 1880s, Tom Wiederhold Collection

 

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Community

 

The images below are from the Ben and Deanna Morgan (Guillary) Collection. The collection is believed to have come from an African American family in Fort Worth, possibly the Murray family. The collection contains numerous images related to African American life in Fort Worth in the twentieth century. Names that appear in the collection are the Murray family, the McMurtrey family, and the Turnhill family.  

 

 

Young African American women, 1915

African American soldiers, circa 1940s 

 

Two young African American girls drinking cokes, circa 1950s

 

View more images from the Ben and Deanna Morgan (Guillary) Collection.

 

First American Legion sponsored junior baseball team in Texas for Negroes, 1954 

Above is the first American Legion sponsored junior baseball team in Texas for African Americans in 1954, Larry Budanauro Collection.

African American soldiers at Camp Bowie in the Convalescent Pneumonia Ward, circa 1918 

Above are African American soldiers at Camp Bowie. The soldiers were in the Convalescent Pneumonia Ward and are browsing a mobile library, Dalton Hoffman Collection.

 

 

African American band at Douglas Park

Above is an African American band at Douglas Park in Fort Worth. From the Dalton Hoffman Collection.

 

 

The Masonic Grand Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, was established in 1876. The souvenir programs and napkin below are from the golden anniversary of the women's affiliate of the African American chapter of the Free Masons in Fort Worth. Also below are pamphlets for the by-laws of the Provident Lodge of the Black Masons of Fort Worth and the Constitution of the Masonic Juvenile Department. Dalton Hoffman Collection.

 

Masonic Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star, 1940 

 

Masonic Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star, 1940

Masonic Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star, 1940 

 

 

By-Laws of Provident Lodge, No. 273 booklet 

Constitution of the Masonic Juvenile Department booklet 

 

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Businesses

 

African American business district, downtown Fort Worth, 1911 

African American business district, downtown Fort Worth, 1911 

 

The above panoramic is from the Charles Stamps Collection show the beginnings of Fort Worth's African American business district. The foreground intersection is East Ninth and Calhoun Streets. Many of these premises were occupied by African Americans, including businessman William "Gooseneck" McDonald (image below). McDonald was a leader in the Fort Worth business community and banker of Fort Worth's first Black-owned bank. He was the leader of the Texas Black and Tan Republicans and was aided by an heiress of the Hutton family. The Southeast Fort Worth YMCA branch is named after McDonald. 

 

William Gooseneck McDonald, undated 

William "Gooseneck" McDonald, undated

 

The Black Voice was founded by Audrey Pruitt in 1957. The paper was established to spread positive news about the Black community in Tarrant County. The paper is still run by the Pruitt family and is the longest running weekly Black newspaper in the county.

The Black Voice, 1999 

One of the businesses in Fort Worth's African American business district was the Ritz Theatre. The Ritz was a Black-owned and operated movie theater at 909 Calhoun Street. The Ritz Theatre movie ticket shown below is from the Richard F. Selcer Collection. It is dated January 13, 1941 and is signed by the theater manager, M.C. Maxwell.

 

Ritz Theatre ticket, 1941

 

Below is a delivery car and the interior of the Green Leaf Cafe, a Black-owned business in Fort Worth. The Green Leaf Cafe was located in Fort Worth's African American business district at 315 E. 9th Street, Larry Budanauro Collection.

 

Green Leaf Cafe, undated 

Green Leaf Cafe delivery car, undated 

 

Below is the Westway Motel and Restaurant located on Camp Bowie in Fort Worth. The postcard describes the motel as the "Finest Colored Motel in the South" and boasted air-conditioning, telephones in each room, wall-to-wall carpeting, a private club, and a swimming pool. Dalton Hoffman Collection.

 

Westway Motel and Restaurant 

 

 

Below is the home of R.C. Houston, a Black owner of a hardware store in 1916. R.C. Houston, Hardware was located in Fort Worth's Black business district on 9th Street. Dalton Hoffman Collection.

Home of R.C. Houston, hardware store owner 

R.C. Houston, Hardware advertisement

 

 

View the "Advertising" section of the 1956 I.M. Terrell High School yearbook. Several of the businesses listed were Black-owned and operated.

 

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Schools

 

I.M. Terrell High School opened in 1882 and was the first Black high school in Fort Worth. It was named for Isaiah Milligan Terrell who was the head of the first free public school for African Americans in Fort Worth, East Ninth Street Colored School. Terrell served as Superintendent of Colored Schools in 1890 and as Principal of I.M. Terrell High School from 1910-1915. In 1915, Terrell became an administrator at Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College, now known as Prairie View A&M University. I.M. Terrell High School closed in 1973 and was re-opened as an elementary school in 1998. The school was recently renovated, expanded and re-named the I.M. Terrell Academy of STEM and Visual Performing Arts.

 

 

 

I.M. Terrell High School football team, undated

I.M. Terrell High School football team, undated

 

 

I.M. Terrell High School yearbook, 1956

I.M. Terrell High School yearbook, 1956

 

 

 

I.M. Terrell High School girls, undated

I.M. Terrell High School girls, undated

I.M. Terrell High School 

I.M. Terrell High School 

 

I.M. Terrell High School students from the Sam Connery Collection, undated

 

Southside Colored School, circa 1920s 

 

Above is the Southside "Colored" School in the 1920s, Vera Benton Parker Collection.

 

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Publications

 

The Tarrant County Archives holds several books on the history of the Black community in the county. Included are books by Reby Cary, a local African American author. Cary has published numerous books on the history of the Black community in Tarrant County. In addition to being an author, Cary has worked as a real-estate broker, a counselor, teacher, and administrator at a number of Texas colleges. He was also the first African American elected to the Fort Worth Independent School District School Board. He also served as a Texas State Representative for District 95 from 1979-1985.

 

The Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church and its Geniture by Reby Cary 

Carver Heights, Where the Best Begins, by Reby Cary 

Black Leaders, Texans for their Times, by Texas State Historical Commission 

Cinderella Kid by Reby Cary 

Princes Shall Come Out of Egypt, Texas, and Fort Worth, by Reby Cary 

We've Come This Far book cover image 

How We Got Over book cover image 

Black Warrior Chiefs by Cloyde I. Brown 

Portraits of Community, African American Photography in Texas, by Alan Govenar 

A Neighborhood Portrait, Polytechnic Heights of Inner City Fort Worth, edited by Sara Horsfall 

 

 

 

The Archives holds digital copies of the publications below. These publications were Black owned and operated and printed in Fort Worth. They covered a wide array of topics relevant to Black life in the United States. From the Dalton Hoffman Collection.

 

 

Negro Achivements magazine, 1950 

Negro Achievements Magazine, April 1950

The White Man and the Negro Magazine, September 1932 

The White Man and the Negro Magazine, Volume 1-7, September 1932

 

 

White Man and the Negro Magazine, June 1933 

The White Man and the Negro Magazine, Volume 2, Number 4, June 1933

White Man and the Negro Magazine, December 1933 

The White Man and the Negro Magazine, Volume 2, Number 10, December 1933

 

 

 

Sepia magazine, April 1960 

Sepia magazine, April 1960

Sepia magazine, May 1960 

Sepia magazine, May 1960

Sepia magazine, February 1962 

Sepia magazine, February 1962

 

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