The Texas State Historical Association picked Juneteenth to introduce its new offering, The Handbook of African American Texas. The information, available on line, is part of the venerable Handbook of Texas but includes approximately 300 new articles on African American life and history in Texas. More than 850 entries are available and are now searchable by a table of contents specifically for African American content.
Dr. Randolph “Mike” Campbell, chief historian of the Association said the group’s latest project was requested from many sources, but Dr. Merline Pitre, history professor at Texas Southern was the project director.
Dr. Campbell said the Association hopes to eventually make the Handbook of African American Texas available in print on demand, but the group doesn’t have the time or funding right now. “We’re always strapped for money and people,” he said.
Dr. Pitre suggested releasing the information on Juneteenth, the day Texas slaves learned they were free. Those unfamiliar with the history of Juneteenth can read about it in the Handbook or in this story in the Dallas Morning News.