DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Nigton Community in Trinity County. Now, after emancipation, freedom didn't always come with land or roots — but in the northeast part of Trinity County, African Americans built something that would last. They formed a freedom colony called Nigton, east of Apple Springs, and many of them stayed close to the land they knew, working as farm laborers, sharecropping, or — and this is the part that matters — owning their own farms and ranches outright.
The 1880s brought a real turning. Population grew. Land ownership among African Americans grew with it.
And Nigton began to thrive in a way that people took notice of — well-planned farms, fine cattle, hogs, poultry, produce. A high standard of living, the record says. Not scraping by.
Thriving. Now, a community like that needs more than good soil. It needs people who believe in what it can become.
Jefferson Calhoun Carter was one of those people. Born in 1855, he was a landowner, a school teacher, and a progressive leader — and one of the first graduates from Wiley College in Marshall. He promoted pride in this community, and that pride didn't stop when he died in 1936.
He'd planted it too deep. Education was woven into the fabric of Nigton from early on. In 1888, land was donated for a school — Pine Island School, they named it.
Then in 1927 and 1928, the community received a Rosenwald grant for a new school, and they didn't wait on outside money to carry the whole load. They raised over five thousand dollars themselves, in bonds and donations. The school ran programs from elementary through high school, four teachers, a shop room, and served as a county training school.
And then there was Professor Wayne Wright Johnson. Born in 1879, a graduate of Prairie View A&M College, a student of botany — he came to teach at the Nigton school in 1910 and he stayed until 1950. Four decades of showing up.
He became the principal, and by every account the record gives, he was committed. Fully, genuinely committed to the education of Nigton's children. He lived until 1969, long enough to know the seeds he planted took hold.
The community didn't stop at schools, either. They established the Mayo Baptist Church, Pine Grove Colored Methodist Episcopal Church — also known as Ligon Chapel — St. John Union, a Masonic Lodge, and several retail stores and shops.
A whole civic world, built by hand. And because they were prohibited from white events, they made their own. Baseball.
Basketball. And every June, community barbeques in celebration of Juneteenth. Not as a consolation — as a declaration.
Nigton wasn't just a place people lived. It was a place people chose, built, defended, and celebrated. And the marker standing there today in Trinity County makes sure that story doesn't get lost to the road.
What the marker says
Following emancipation, African Americans in the northeast part of Trinity County formed the freedom colony of Nigton, east of Apple Springs. Many stayed close to their former plantations, working as farm laborers, engaging in share cropping or owning their own farms or ranches. The 1880s saw an increase in population and African American land ownership, and the community began to thrive with a diverse agricultural and civic landscape. Nigton was noted for its well-planned farms, fine cattle, hogs, poultry, produce and a high standard of living. Jefferson Calhoun Carter (1855-1936), a landowner, school teacher and progressive leader, was one of the first graduates from Wiley College in Marshall. He promoted pride in the community that continued past his death in 1936. Education was an integral part of the community with land donated in 1888 for a school, named Pine Island School. The community received a Rosenwald grant for a school in 1927-28 and raised over $5000 in bonds and donations. Programs were offered to elementary through high school students with four teachers and a shop room, and acted as a county training school. Noted teacher and scholar, Professor Wayne Wright Johnson (1879-1969), taught at the school from 1910 to 1950. A graduate of Prairie View A&M college and a student of botany, he became the principal of the Nigton school and was committed to the education of Nigton. The community established the Mayo Baptist Church, Pine Grove colored Methodist Episcopal Church (also known as Ligon Chapel), St. John Union, Masonic Lodge and several retail stores and shops. Prohibited from white events, the community formed their own sporting events and celebrations, including baseball, basketball and community barbeques in June in celebration of Juneteenth. (2016)