African American 1800 - 1899 1800 1810 1820 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1800's       1800        1809 May 22 Statement about receiving a slave         1810           1820        1829 Sep 15 Mexico abolishes slavery         1830        1837 Sep 4 Letter on Houston, Congress and selling a slave      1838 Mar Sale of slave Bill      1839 Apr 31 Case involving a hired slave         1840        1840 Mar 24 Testimony about a slave selling stolen corn      1841 Mar Beating of slave      1841 Aug 12 Bill in chancery involving litigation over slaves      1841 Oct 28 Litigation over smuggling slaves      1843 Feb 7 Memo to return slaves to owners      1843 Jul 16 Sale of slave Geney      1843 Aug 11 Promissory note to hire slave woman      1843 Nov 13 Note for sale of slave      1843 Dec Store account      1844 Sep 7 Writ of sequestration regarding slaves      1844 Dec 1 Mortgage on slaves      1845 Dec 30 Value of a male slave is $650      1847 Apr Doctor bill for family      1847 Jun 16 Petition for the recovery of slaves         1850        1853 Nov 9 Value of a male slave is $1000      1858 Mar 5 Sale of slave Emeline      1859 May 28 Conveyance of trust      1858-1863 Former slave reminisces   1860        1860 Jul 10 Bad trade deal      1861 Nov 8 Debt paid with slaves      1862 Nov 8 Sale of slave Charles      1865 Oct 25 Committee of Safety      1866 Mar A girl is bound to petitioner for 18 years         1870        1870's Matthew Gaines speech         1880        1880 Jun 4 Contract to hire a boy      1885 Old Stone Fort         1890        1895 Oxen pulling a wagon         1800's        1800's Plow blade and chains      1800's Joshua Houston   The arrival of Anglo Americans in 1821 brought additional African Americans to what was Mexican Texas. In addition to increasing the African American population in Mexican Texas, the Anglo colonists reinforced the institution of slavery. The Mexican government tolerated slavery due to the importance the new Anglo colonists placed on the institution to provide the labor needed to continue their agricultural endeavors, and the institution of slavery grew slowly until the Texas revolution in 1836. When Texas won its independence, the institution of slavery grew rapidly in size and strength until the close of the Civil War. On June 19, 1865 African Americans were finally awarded their freedom. "The Reconstruction era presented black Texans another challenge. Many had to rebuild their lives, locate lost family members, and begin to live their lives as self -sufficient, free men and women ('African Americans', The Handbook of Texas Online)." The end of Reconstruction brought many obstacles for African American Texans and they lost ground on many of the civil rights they gained during the Reconstruction era. Mexico granted a group of Maroons and Black Seminole Indians permission to settle in northern Texas. 1861 Start of the Civil War 1865 Freedmen's Bureau established 1865 African Americans in Texas were granted their freedom 1866 Eleventh Legislature of Texas creates the Black Codes 1867 Black Codes eliminated Black men registered to vote 1868-1900 Forty-three African Americans served in the state legislature The Portal to Texas History Slavery, Texas State Library and Archives African Americans in The Handbook of Texas Slavery in The Handbook of Texas Civil War in The Handbook of Texas Buffalo Soldiers in The Handbook of Texas Black Seminole Indians in The Handbook of Texas Juneteenth in The Handbook of Texas Freedmen's Bureau in The Handbook of Texas Black Codes in The Handbook of Texas Black Cowboys in The Handbook of Texas Civil War Currency Specimens