Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Forever Free: The 1870s: Matthew Gaines
Read about Matthew Gaines, an African American state senator from Texas during Reconstruction. Learn about where he stood on issues such as integrated education and taxation of specific groups, and why he was removed from office.
Black Past
Black Past: Blanche Kelso Bruce
A biography of an African American senator from Mississippi during Reconstruction, Blanche K. Bruce. Read about his political life and the causes he supported.
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Forever Free: The 1870s: Representation
Read about the political climate in 1870s Texas and two governors elected during this time, Republican Edmund J. Davis and Democrat Richard Coke. Focuses primarily on how African Americans were affected by the leadership of each governor.
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Forever Free: The 1880s: Elias Mayes
Elias Mayes was was an African American legislator in Texas during Reconstruction. Read about the committees he served on, his view on segregation, and some of the problems he faced.