The MATTHEW GAINES MEMORIAL Homepage

"Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas,
that there be hereby within this state an institution of learning under the name and style
of the 'Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas'. . . ."
{Senate Bill No. 276 - April 4, 1871}

THE MATTHEW GAINES MEMORIAL
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The Matthew Gaines Memorial Homepage Send to the webmaster

The Matthew Gaines Memorial Committee was formed on the initiative of the Aggie College Republicans in the mid-1990s to support the erecting of a statue of State Senator Matthew Gaines on the campus of Texas A&M University. The statue would honor Senator Gaines for his contributions to the establishment of free public education in the State of Texas and the passage of the legislation which allowed the state to accept the Morrill Land Grant College Act. The following statement describes Matthew Gaines and his accomplishments:

Former slave, community leader, minister, Republican State Senator and courageous leader in the 12th Legislature, which established free public education in the State of
Texas and enabled the founding of Texas A&M University

Matthew Gaines of Brenham (Washington Co.) served in the 12th (1870-71) and 13th (1872) Legislatures. [Photograph courtesy of Lois Smith]

Most of the material presented on this website is in archival form, but for those interested in being a part of a the newly created "Matthew Gaines Initiative Committee" please go to: Matthew Gaines Initiative Committee at http://resi.tamu.edu/gmemorial.php/.

Past statements regarding the Matthew Gaines Memorial by student leaders, faculty members, and university administrators:

Steve Pryor, Treasurer, Aggie College Republicans: "Texas A&M Will Remember Matthew Gaines"

Timothy Novak, Forsyth Center curator and chair of the Matthew Gaines Committee: "THE MATTHEW GAINES MEMORIAL"

Dale Baum, Democratic Party Precinct Captain, Precinct 9, Brazos County, Texas: "A Statue to a Former Slave on the A&M Campus?" This 1994 statement contains a suggested reading list of books and articles on Matthew Gaines and Texas Reconstruction politics: click here. [For Baum's subsequent defense of the Gaines project, see his 1996 remarks on black lawmakers in the 12th Texas Legislature and the historical amnesia regarding their support of the federal Morrill Land Grant College Act and the establishment in 1871 of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (click here). For his 1997 statement on the status of the Gaines project, click here. On President Ray Bowen's decision to send the Gaines project into administrative limbo, click here.]

Statement of 38 TAMU Faculty Members: "As members of the university faculty, we have an obligation to say what we know and to support what we believe is correct. "

Brooks Langraf and Martha Gault, Co-chairs of the Matthew Gaines Memorial Council, "Current status of the Matthew Gaines project at Texas A&M University."

See also Dale Baum's "Vision 2020 and the Matthew Gaines Memorial" that argues that the Gaines memorial would avoid the statue imbroglio that currently exists on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin -- an argument also made in his talk entitled "The History of the Matthew Gaines Movement at Texas A&M University" presented to the Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociological Honor Society, Texas Iota Chapter, Texas A&M University, Rudder Tower, College Station, Texas, November 27, 2007.

Articles about the Matthew Gaines Memorial in THE BATTALION:

"Ex-slave, senator helped found University" (February 7, 1994), p. 1.

"Group to review senator's role in A&M's founding" (July 27, 1995), p. 1

EDITORIAL: "Matthew Gaines: The former senator deserves recognition for his contributions" (July 27, 1995), p. 5. [The Battalion's endorsement of the Gaines project]

"'Something special' A&M group aims to bring new statue to campus soon" (October 10, 1995), p. 1.

"A&M remembers Texas legislator" (February 25, 1998), p. 1.

"Historically unclear: Despite debate among scholars, role of black senator in A&M founding gains support among students" (November 10, 1998), p. 1

"Contrary to Popular Misconceptions..." (February 2, 1999), p. 6 [Paid response to portions of the above article by 38 TAMU Professors].

"A fitting memorial: Gaines deserves tribute on A&M campus" (February 12, 2002), p. 9.

"Diversity among students leaves hope for the future" (March 28, 2003), p. 1.

"Gaines memorial raises questions of accuracy" (April 15, 2003), p. 1

"Student Senate supports Gaines memorial" (April 18, 2003), p. 1.

"Matthew Gaines deserves recognition for political achievements" (April 21, 2003), Mail Call.

"Professor cites racism in University's history" (March 4, 2005)" News Section.

"Monumental Gaines: One of A&M's founders receives formal recognition" (February 9, 2007), News Section.

Related links:

Entry on Matthew Gaines in Wikipedia
Matthew Gaines in "FOREVER FREE"

[A joint exhibit of the Texas State Library & Archives Commission and the State Preservation Board]

H.R. No. 753: "The House of Representatives of the 77th Texas Legislature pays special tribute to Matthew Gaines for his exceptional public service"

TAMU Cushing Library's "Africana Studies" Collection
"Matthew Gaines Initiative Committee"
[Race and Ethnic Studies Institute (RESI)]
Texas A&M University

Professor Merline Pitre's entry on Matthew Gaines in the Handbook of Texas Online

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"Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, that there be hereby within this state an institution of learning under the name and style of the 'Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas'. . . ." {Senate Bill No. 276 - April 4, 1871}

THE MATTHEW GAINES MEMORIAL Homepage

The Matthew Gaines Memorial Homepage Send to the webmaster

Most of the material presented on this website is in archival form, but for those interested in being a part of a the newly created "Matthew Gaines Initiative Committee" please go to: Matthew Gaines Initiative Committee at http://resi.tamu.edu/gmemorial.php/.

Past statements regarding the Matthew Gaines Memorial by student leaders, faculty members, and university administrators:

Articles about the Matthew Gaines Memorial in THE BATTALION:

"Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas,
that there be hereby within this state an institution of learning under the name and style
of the 'Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas'. . . ."
{Senate Bill No. 276 - April 4, 1871}

THE MATTHEW GAINES MEMORIAL
Homepage