News from Texas.

News from Texas.

A report on the 1883 Texas State Convention of Colored Men held in Austin published in the New York Age (April 21, 1883).

From Gale. 19th Century U.S. Newspapers. ©2008 Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, Inc. Reproduced by permission.

1883-04-21

Newspaper article

___________________ News from Texas. From the Austin Citizen. At last the colored people of Texas are awakening to a sense of their duty in the matter of buying lands and houses. Last year the Waco convention of colored men sounded the key-note by organizing a homestead and colonization association, and since then another has been organized and in successful operation at Corsicana. Besides individuals all over the State have bought and are still buying lands, intending like the sturdy German to build themselves up and be independent at home. But while this work of improvement is apparent still there are many, we are pained to remark, who have not yet thought of it of sufficient importance to buy homes but continue to hire or rent lands, paying as much rent as would be sufficient to buy and pay for land as good. In some cases we hear of tenants being driven off to have their places filled by convicts, after being having been tenants there ever since the war. Yes, and many who have raised large families on those plantations and kept their children home to work in the crops in order to raise big crops. And what has it come to? Will those people be warned? The colored people, whatever their occupation must have homes or else they have no permanent position in this country. _______

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1882.TX-04.05.WACO