A bound volume of the Houston Evening Star, with issues from March to July 1866, is part of the collections of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s Newspaper Collection. These notes are based on that volume.¹

The conservative newspaper was edited by R. H. Purdom at an office located on Travis Street across from Market Square, between Franklin and Congress. Purdom (who apparently later moved to Bremond) endorsed John W. Throckmorton in that year’s gubernatorial election and opposed Congressional Reconstruction.

April 1866

April 21

“We are pleased to see that preparations are making for the erection of the new Methodist church on the plot of ground belonging to them, nearly on the site of the former one. The colored Methodist church is in process of removal. The brick and other material for the new church is being put on the ground and arrangements making for laying the foundation. The building will be quite a commodious one, and when completed it is upposed will cost about twelve thousand dollars.”

April 30

“We notice that the colored Methodist church could not be moved from its old locality without being torn down. The attempt was made to move it on blocks, but it was found too difficult a task, and although it had been removed from its old foundation into the middle of Milam street, there it had to be torn down and carried away by peacemeal [sic], but will, we understand, be rebuilt as soon as practicable. The colored school, we believe, has been temporarily suspended, but will be resumed again as soon as a suitable house can be obtained for it.”

May 1866

May 8

“The Hotel de Calaboose seems to be well patronized now-a-days. Several lodgers apply for admission every evening and are accommodated. The bills are rather high, though.”

May 9

“We have been informed that the colored schools of Houston will have a pic-nic to-morrow. This is a new feature in our scholastic affairs, but we do not think it a discredit to us or our city. The colored people are now a free people, and have the right to exert themselves for the education and improvement of their race. These people were in slavery during our late unfortunate struggle, and as a general thing, behaved themselves well, and when the war ceased they found themselves placed in a very different relation to the white race, yet, with the sudden and overpowering effects of freedom, we find them still behaving very becomingly, when taken as a body. True, there are some exceptions to this rule, but we speak of the mass of them. Some portions of the South have been much annoyed by unruly and bigoted freedmen, but we must say that the colored population of Houston deserve credit for the peceable and submissive manner in which they have conducted themselves, and should any person or persons be disposed to upbraid or mistreat them in their celebration to-morrow, we belived that the citizens will look upon them with contempt and frown down their derisions.”

May 10

An article on “The Fourth Monday in June” notes the upcoming state election to be held on June 25 and denounces the “Radical leaders and nominees” who “are in private and secret meetings, concocting and inventing various and extraordinary means by which they hope to impose upon the honest voters of the State. … they presume to teach us how to gain re-admission.”

“The grand celebration of the [n—r] school this morning, was considerably dampened by the rainy weather.”

“We learn that scores of freedmen are taking out marriage licenses in the County Court. The Clerks reap a rich harvest by the new order of things. Glad to hear that they are making money, for they deserve it.”

May 11

“The managers of the [n—r] school in this city felt quite disappointed, yesterday, that their grand celebration did not come off. We do not know who had been selected as the Grand Orator for the occasion.”

May 14

“We are informed by good authority, that there are huddled together in a few small huts, on the corner of Congress and Austin streets, about seventy-five persons, large and small, of the colored population, many of whom are living in the most degrading and loathsome manner. … Let the authorities see to this. …”

May 23

“Our colored population turned out to-day in full blast for the pic-nic. Not having space or time to notice it in to-day’s paper, we will attend to it to-morrow. The day, however, has proven very rainy and dark.”

May 24

“The turn out of the colored population yesterday for the pic-nic was very large, and of course was a novel scene in Houston. They marched through Main street with great pomp, richly attired in the finest and most costly apparel. As the day was a very unfavorable one, and our time was occupied with business, we did not attend the pic-nic, and can say nothing regarding the joyous scenes there. Late in the evening the procession again moved through our principal streets, led by marshal music that sounded like the blowing of a whistle and beating on a dry goods box. We suppose that this soul-inspiring music produced very patriotic feelings in the breasts of the sable patriots in attendance. This ‘union forever’ is a glorious institution.”

And later in the column of local news …

“The colored folks got their finery badly soiled in their perambulations yesterday. We think many of them will hardly be able to turn out again in a fortnight. What a pity. (?)”

“The rain still continued up to this morning, and our people can hardly navigate the streets except in canoes.”

May 28

“The colored Methodist church, which was so lately removed from the corner of Milam street and Texas Avenue, has been remodled [sic] on Travis street, and the school formerly kept for the colored people in it, is again in successful operation at its present location.”

May 29

“We learn that there is to be a grand anniversary of the first annual round of the day on which the colored population of Houston were proclaimed free. We are told they intend giving a big dinner, to which they are going to invite their old masters and mistresses. This shows the respect in which they hold their former friends, and those whom they, as a class believe to be their true friends.”

And below in local news column:

“We are told that the race of Ham is largely represented in this city every Sabbath at three or four different points for religious worship; and that when they get together they commence singing spiritual songs; and before the preacher gets ready to deal out the word of truth to them, they get so full of the spirit, that a general out-burst breaks forth in shouts, cries, dancing, which forms a conglomerated mixture of all ages and sex, and a scene ensues which beggars description. They become perfectly frantic, throwing off their hats, bonnets, coats and shoes, entering into the services pell-mell, without any regard to decency, and contrary to the scriptures making God a God of confusion instead of a God of peace.”

June 1866

June 13

“COLORED BARBECUE.—A grand barbecue is to [be] given to the freedmen of Houston next Tuesday in commemoration of the first anniversary of the day on which they became a free people. We understand that great preparations are being made by them for the occasion; tickets are being circulated and purchased at the rate [of] one dollar each. And we are told the white people will also be invited to attend. Some of the colored people tells us that they understand many of our citizens who have freedmen and women hired, object to giving them the day that they might enjoy it to its full extent. This we think must be false. We do not believe there is a family in Houston who would refuse to give the colored people one day for the purpose of thanksgiving, speech-making and merriment. We do not think that the colored people as a class believe any such thing. We will endeavor to be there, or be where we can get a birds’s [sic] eye view of the affair.

June 16

On page 2 just under the masthead:

“FREEDMENS’ CELEBRATION.—A short time since we announced that the freedmen of Houston would celebrate the 19th prox. as the first anniversary of their freedom. We revert to this as a matter of some interest to our citizens and the State at large. It is perfectly natural that this class should regard the anniversary of their delivery from bondage, a fit time for a social reunion, and it is due them, as forming a very large element among us, that their festivities should be not only respected, but kindly encouraged by us all.

Many no doubt will be brought to feel on the occasion, that injustice has been done in depriving them of their rightfully acquired property, but in this connection, we should take in consideration, that the freedman had nothing to do in this matter; it was by no agency of his that it was done, and we should not hold him responsible for the acts of the Government. Their old masters will appreciate this, and we feel will contribute, by all means in their power, to the enjoyment of the anniversary. In this way they will prove, what we have often claimed, that they are the best friends of the freedmen.

There are doubtless, malicious persons in this, as well as in every community, who, feeling no permanent interest in the State, might be led by passion and prejudice to commit indiscretions; but we trust for the welfare of all that they will refrain from the commission of anything that would reflect discredit upon us, or give our enemies ground to beleive that we are not true to the professions we have made.

Encourage the freedmen in every thing that will contribute to elevate him in the scale of morality and fit him for a useful member of society, for in this way only can we expect to prosper and be benefitted by him now, in the changed relation which he bears to us."

June 18

“The grand barbecue and anniversary of the colored people comes off to-morrow. Our streets are thronged with colored visitors from the country who have come in to enjoy the festivities of the day. We trust they may have a merry time, and that nothing will come up to mar the peace and pleasures of the occasion.”

And later in the local news column:

“We learn that there is a school mistress, an Anglo-American, engaged in teaching the young ideas of our African population how to shoot, on the North side of the bayou, who has a good school of both large and small, and is doing very well, boarding and lodging at the popular boarding house of Calvin and Eliza—no better negroes in the city, who are accommodating and clever, and the number of boarders they have speaks well for them, they all being of African descent but for the school mistress. While we approve of the education and dissemination of knowledge among the colored population, still we cannot approve of the social mixing of the races, so diametrically opposed opposed [sic] to each other as are the American and African races. Hope she will do well, and her shadow never grow darker.”

“NEW AFRICA.—We learn that a very enterprising gentleman of this city has established a new and prosperous little town near the New Orleans Depot, which has received the congomen of Burnettsville, whose inhabitans are as dark as midnight darkness, and whose moral behavior can only be compared to that of savages, little less than cannibals. We are informed that some few of them are very sober, industrious and hard working persons, whilst the majority of them are daily engaged in drinkings, quarrelling, fighting, knocking down and dragging out, Sundays not excepted. They are really the canaille of the country. … It is suggested by those who love good order and decency, that a policeman be constantly stationed in this neighborhood, especially on Sundays, from eight o’clock until three or four in the evening…”

June 20