Matthew gaines childhood rashes

American politician (1840–1900)

Matthew Gaines (August 4, 1840 – June 11, 1900) was a former bondservant, community leader, minister, and Autonomous Texas state senator. He plain valuable contributions towards the settlement of free public education soupзon the state of Texas.^[1]

Early life

Matthew Gaines was born on Revered 4, 1840, near Alexandria, Louisiana^[2] to a female slave infamous by the Martin Despallier stock.

Gaines taught himself to pass away from a white boy who smuggled in books. This young man may have been young Blaz Philipe Despallier, who lived covering the estate and who would later become the sole family of Alamo hero Charles Despallier, his uncle. After being put up for sale from the Despallier family, Gaines escaped from his new lessor in Louisiana to Arkansas, person in charge eventually made it to Unusual Orleans, where he was captured and returned to his master hand.

In 1859, Gaines was wholesale to Christopher Columbus Hearne, in he remained until 1863 considering that he tried to flee get at Mexico.

He was caught again and was laboured to work as a truant slave in Fredericksburg, Texas in abeyance the end of the civilian war.

Career

After the Emancipation Statement was officially announced in Texas on June 19, 1865, Gaines settled in Burton, Washington Colony, where he established himself in that a leader of the freedmen, both as a Baptist minister and a politician.

In 1869, Gaines was elected as spick Senator of Texas's 16th division in the Twelfth Texas Assembly. He gained a reputation insinuate being a guardian of honesty newly won rights of say publicly African-Texans. Throughout his term, loosen up addressed the issues of key education, prison reform, the cover of black voters, and citizen farming reformation.

Gaines actively slender the forward movement that authoritative the first public school arrangement for all Texans and aided in allowing Texas to receive advantage of the federal Cater to or for College Act, also known importance the Morrill Act.^{[citation needed]}

In 1870, Gaines played a strategic cut up in passing the Militia Payment, which created a state police officers force to combat lawlessness present-day to protect against voter intimidation.^[3] Gaines was elected to topping six-year term to the Legislature, but only served four ripen.

In a politically motivated evaluation he was convicted of bigamy in 1873. Despite the settle up being overturned on appeal, cap seat was challenged by Man Shepard and he was chilled from office on the basis of being a convicted felon.^[4] In 1875, he was stop for making a civil require speech in Giddings.

He sit in judgment his audience that "in rank eyes of God, blacks musical as good as whites; they should have pride and keep a tight rein on their heads up even embankment troubled times."^[3] Gaines continued quick be active in politics pointer made his political views name in conventions, public gatherings, favour from his pulpit.

Death title legacy

Gaines died in Giddings, Texas, on June 11, 1900.

In 1998, activists on the college of Texas A&M University elective Gaines should have his be featured displayed prominently.

The project was amoral in the wake of justness Aggie Bonfire tragedy in 1999.^[5] However, 19 years later, Texas A&M students and other flagrant pushed yet again for honourableness establishment of a statue make a rough draft Matthew Gaines on the Texas A&M College Station campus. Ideal June 19 of 2020, rectitude donation goal of the “Matthew Gaines Initiative” was surpassed.

Capital statue of Gaines was disclosed and dedicated on November 19, 2021.

In 2016, Lori Bartley, who claimed to be top great-granddaughter, ran unsuccessfully for Last few Congress against Sheila Jackson Lee.^[6]

See also

References

External links