Black Political History
Negro Legislators of Texas and Their Descendants: A History of the Negro in Texas Politics from Reconstruction to Disfranchisement
Publication: Dallas, TX: Mathis Publishing Co., 1935. First Edition.
Notes: An early book on Black politicians in Texas, from the end of the Civil War to 1899, when legislative and political changes blocked Black candidates for the Texas legislature.
Brewer traces the emergence of Black politicians in Texas, combining a general political history and transcriptions of documents with biographical sketches of forty-six African American legislators and convention delegates. Despite—or perhaps because of—the success Black politicians found in Texas elections "as the Negro became more informed and better educated," Brewer writes, "the white Texan became more and more alarmed and disturbed over the Negro vote, and its power at the hands of the colored man" (p. 113).
After Robert L. Smith, who represented Colorado County from 1895 to 1899, nearly seventy years would pass without another Black member of the Texas legislature. That streak was broken by Barbara Jordan and two colleagues in 1967.
J. Mason Brewer (1896–1975) was the most prominent historian of Black Texas of his time and a noted folklorist.
x, 134, [4:blank] pages, plus 3 leaves of halftone plates, one folding.
Edition + Condition: First trade issue (there was also a deluxe 50-copy issue, signed by the author with an extra plate). Edges somewhat spotted, else a very good copy in a very good dust jacket, tanned at the spine. There is a small chip missing from the top of the spine. Uncommon in a decent jacket.
Item No: #366404
Price: $4,000