In honor of February being Black History Month, the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center is highlighting selections from its collection that showcase the rich history and contributions of black Americans in Liberty County and the surrounding region. The center has curated a series of photographs and historical records that provide insight into the lives of African Americans in Southeast Texas, spanning from the 19th century through the mid-20th century.
Among the highlighted individuals and organizations are community leaders, military veterans, educators, and pioneers who shaped the region’s history, including:
- Johnny Dugat Jr. (1934–1998) – A Dayton native and graduate of Liberty Training School, Dugat served in the U.S. Army before attending the Commonwealth of Mortuary Sciences. He worked at Wells Funeral Home in Liberty for 45 years and was laid to rest at Wells Memorial Cemetery.
- Liberty Training School Marching Band (1940s) – Before desegregation, African American students in Liberty attended the Liberty Colored School, later renamed Liberty Training School and eventually West Liberty High School. The school’s marching band competed at Houston’s Robinson Stadium in the 1940s. West Liberty High School was consolidated into Liberty High School by 1969.
- Professor Charles W. Harris (1843–1919) – A respected educator, Harris earned two doctorates from Wilberforce University before becoming certified to teach in Texas in the 1870s. He served as a teacher in Liberty County and was a leader at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Moss Bluff.
- Grand United Order of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 5377 (Early 1900s–1955) – Established in Liberty in the early 1900s, the lodge was part of a national fraternal organization for African American men. The group maintained the city’s Odd Fellows Cemetery from 1905 until its dissolution in 1955 due to declining membership.
- Bee Carter (1914–1985) – A Liberty native, Carter worked for Steusoff Pharmacy before being drafted into World War II. He enlisted in 1942 and served until 1946. After his passing, he was buried in Houston National Cemetery.
- Mary Cottontail (c. 19th century) – Originally enslaved in Louisiana, Cottontail was sent to Liberty with a trunk of gifts for Cynthia O’Brien Hardin after her marriage. She remained in Liberty for the rest of her life, continuing to work for the Hardin family after emancipation.
- Harriett Hobbs Paine (c. 19th century) – Paine was enslaved by the Hardin family and later became a companion to Camilla “Minnie” Hardin Davis. Even after emancipation, Paine moved with Minnie to the Mount Prospect plantation near Huntsville, Texas, in 1869.
- Hugh Jackson (1910s) – Jackson, son of Andrew and Jane Jackson, worked for the Humphreys family at their home, “Seven Pines,” in Liberty. He was photographed leaning on the property’s clubhouse. After Geraldine Humphreys’ death in 1956, the home was torn down and replaced by the Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center.
- Men in Cotton Field (Undated) – This historical image captures an unnamed man and two boys picking cotton, a reflection of Liberty County’s agricultural history and its role in the region’s economy.
The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center serves as an invaluable resource for those researching family histories and exploring the past. The center houses extensive archival collections, including historic photographs, maps, newspapers, and personal papers, offering a wealth of information for genealogists and historians alike. Researchers looking to trace their heritage or uncover details about ancestors from Liberty County and beyond are encouraged to visit the center and utilize its resources.
The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center invites community members to explore these stories further and encourages those with additional knowledge about these individuals or events to reach out. To learn more about the collections, call the Sam Houston Center at 936-336-8821.
