East Texas Historical Association

Long Black Line Symposium

“The Great African American School Movement”

Hosted and moderated by Herman Wright Jr. of Houston, founder and CEO of the Long Black Line.org.

Baker Patillo Student Center
Saturday June 26, 2010
Stephen F. Austin State University

The Long Black Line.org, the Stephen F. Austin State University Department of History, and the East Texas Historical Association will hold a symposium titled “The Great African American School Movement” on Saturday June 26, 2010 at the Stephen F. Austin State University Baker Pattillo Student Center theatre. The symposium will begin at 8:45 A.M. and will include two morning sessions, a catered buffet lunch, and one afternoon session, which will end at 2:30. The symposium is offered at no cost to the public, and complimentary coffee and refreshments will be served during a mid-morning break. The buffet lunch is also offered at no cost, but since meal seating is limited to 100, it will require pre-registration.

Session I will begin at 9:00 A.M. and last until 10:30 A.M.. Titled “Striving for Opportunity in a Segregated World: Private African American Colleges in East Texas,” it will focus on the founding and histories of Wiley College, Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, and the ultimate desegregation of Texas' state supported institutions of higher education. Panelists will include Gail Beil from Marshall , Cary Wintz from Texas Southern University, Scott Sosebee from Stephen F. Austin State University, and Joe Atkins from the African American Museum in Dallas, and a plaintiff in a suit against North Texas State University (now University of North Texas) that began to end the practice of segregation in state supported universities.

Session II will focus on the history of Rosenwald Schools in East Texas and will begin at 10:40 A.M. and run until Noon. Titled “Instilling Knowledge: Rosenwald Schools in East Texas,” it will feature Jeff Roth from Stephen F. Austin State University and Theodore Lawe of Dallas and the curator and founder of the A.C. McMillan African American Museum in Emory.

Herman Wright Jr. of Houston and the founder and CEO of the Long Black Line.org will moderate both morning sessions.

Following lunch, Harry Robinson, the founder and CEO of the African American Museum in Dallas will give the keynote address on the long journey and the history of Dallas ' African American Museum, a world-class facility located in Dallas ' Fair Park .

Anyone wishing to attend the symposium may call 936-468-2407 to pre-register, or they may visit easttexashistorical.org and register online. For those wishing to take advantage of the complimentary lunch, please pre-register before June 24, 2010. Questions about the symposium can also be directed to sosebeem@sfasu.edu .