DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker says about Fred Lewis, right here in Harrison County. Now settle in, because this story spans decades, and it starts long before Fred Lewis ever drew breath. Back in 1878, in this very county, something called the White Citizens Party took shape.
Several officers of the Texas and Pacific Railroad were behind it — including one Amory Starr, born in 1847, died in 1906. That organization dug its roots deep into Harrison County soil, and the ground stayed hard for a long time. Then, in 1923, the Texas legislature passed a law excluding African Americans from voting in the Democratic Party primary.
That's not a rumor. That's the law, written down, passed by the legislature. The vote — taken away, by statute.
Now, enter Fred Lewis. Born in 1912. Educator.
NAACP officer. Civil rights activist. After he returned from World War II, Lewis managed Ruth Starr Blake's estate.
But managing an estate wasn't all Fred Lewis was doing. He was working on something bigger. Lewis was influential in restoring voting rights for African American Texans, and the way he went about it tells you everything about the man.
He raised funds. He partnered with statewide NAACP leadership. And he advanced a case — Perry v.
Cyphers — all the way to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Now here's where the pacing slows down, because this is the part worth sitting with. In 1951, the court's decision in that case ended the white primary system and restored the vote to African Americans in Harrison County.
The same county where that party had formed back in 1878. Fred Lewis lived until 2002. He saw what he helped build.
And this marker, right here in Harrison County, makes sure the rest of us don't forget who did the work.
What the marker says
Educator, NAACP officer and civil rights activist Fred Lewis (1912-2002), managed Ruth Starr Blake's estate after he returned from WWII. Lewis was influential in restoring voting rights for African American Texans. The first White Citizens Party was formed in 1878 in Harrison county by several officiers of the Texas and Pacific Railroad, including Amory Starr (1847-1906). In 1923, the Texas legislature passed a law that excluded African Americans from voting in the Democratic Party primary. Fred Lewis advanced the case, Perry v. Cyphers, to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals by raising funds and partnering with statewide NAACP leadership. In 1951, the court decision ended the white primary system and restored the vote to African Americans in Harrison county.