black history – Texas History Notebook

Teresa Graves, Actress

Teresa Graves was born on January 10, 1948 in Houston, Texas to Marshall “Mannie” Graves and wife Willie Patterson Graves. Her father was a laborer and her mother was a housewife. Teresa had at least two brothers and one sister. The family moved to California in the early to mid 1950s where Teresa graduated from George Washington Preparatory High School around 1966 where she was a top student and active in the arts. She was a talented singer and came to the attention of a newly formed performing group called the Doodletown Pipers. Teresa was invited to join the group and declined college scholarship offers to join the group. She is listed as a founding member and sang with them for about three years.

Azellia and Hulon White

Hulon Lincoln “Pappy” White was a native Texan. He was born on December 10, 1912 to Henry White and Lela F. Askey White in Gonzales, Texas. He earned his pilot’s license in 1941 and between 1941 and 1945, he was a civilian employee of the Army Air Corps in Tuskegee, Alabama. At the Tuskegee Army Air Base, he was a mechanic and instructor for cadets, many of whom went on to serve in the 332nd Fighter Group, the “Tuskegee Airmen.”

Dick Sparks: Early North Texas Cowboy

The Waco News Tribune issue of December 14, 1946 carried a short article about the death of Dick Sparks, a former slave and once said to be the oldest resident of Wichita County at age 117. Dick had been confined to Wichita General Hospital for about six months, the article said, causing him to leave his home and property in Electra for what would be the last time. His Electra residence had been a gift from rancher Tom Burnett for “faithful services rendered” when Dick retired his first time. It was upon his leaving the Burnett Ranch that he was given his home.

Jim Perry

Jim Perry was the name of an African American cowboy who lived from about 1858 to 1918. He resided mostly in West Texas and the Panhandle. Perry was considered a top hand and was skilled in all aspects of ranching including roping, riding, breaking horses and the like. He was also considered to be a good cook and a good musician on the fiddle. Perry is generally noted along with the most well known African American cowboys including Bones Hooks, Bose Ikard, Bill Pickett and Addison Jones.

Shankleville Love Story

Shankleville is an unincorporated community located about as far east in Texas as a person can go, since in that area the border follows the river which takes a bend to the east. The community is situated in Newton County, a long and narrow county that extends to the Sabine River which at that point marks the border between Texas and Louisiana. Shankleville itself sits a few miles north of Newton, the county seat, and less than ten miles west of the Sabine.

Shankleville was founded by formerly enslaved people, Winnie and Jim Shankle and their friend Stephen Alexander McBride. By this time, many people have heard the story of Jim and Winnie Shankle, but it bears repeating.