Prairie View A&M University Seeks to Rediscover Its Lost History

Prairie View A&M University, the first state-supported college in Texas for African Americans, was established during the Reconstruction Period after the Civil War. The board of directors purchased more than 1,300 acres of land for the new campus from Helen Kirby, the widow of a colonel in the Confederate Army. The land was formerly the Alta Vista Plantation, owned by the Kirbys. It once had a population of more than 400 enslaved individuals.

The Alta Vista Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas for Colored Youth opened in 1878 with eight students. In 1879, the name was changed to Prairie View State Normal School in Waller County for the Training of Colored Teachers. It received its current name in 1973.

Many of the school’s records were lost in a 1947 fire. Now a committee has been formed to learn more about the university’s past and the town it calls its home. Descendants of Jared Kirby, the former owner of the plantation, and various members of the university community, are joining together to learn as much as they can about the history of the area.

“Stories and storytelling and truthful storytelling can really build a community and that’s the whole aim of the project,” Becky Vanderslice, a third-generation grandchild of Kirby, told a local television reporter. “It’s really to make sure we’re telling the story of Prairie View.”

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Study Uncovers More Evidence That Black Students Are Overrepresented in School Discipline

In an examination of six different kinds of school discipline and punishment, three comparison groups, and 16 subpopulations, a new study has found that "no matter how you slice it, Black students are overrepresented among those punished and excluded."

Jermaine Whirl Selected to Lead Savannah State University in Georgia

“Savannah State has a rich history of producing world class artists, educators, scientists, military leaders, corporate executives and public policy advocates," said Dr. Whirl. "I look forward to working with the students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater Savannah community to continue the legacy of the state’s first public HBCU.”

Report Identifies Racial Diversity Trends in California’s Higher Education Workforce

Since 2013, the share of Black faculty and staff at the University of California and California State University systems has slightly decreased, while their representation at California Community Colleges has experienced a small increase.

Pamela Wilks Named Provost of Paine College in Georgia

Dr. Wilks has an extensive background in HBCU academic and administrative leadership. Prior to her new appointment, she served as provost at Coppin State University for three years.

Featured Jobs