Black History: Untold Stories and the Next Chapter

Texas historians spotlight preservation, perseverance, and the unheard voices shaping the future of Black history

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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For Black History Month, local historians in Texas are reflecting on the untold and undertold stories of the past, and envisioning what the next chapter of Black history might look like. They discuss the need to amplify marginalized voices, preserve historic sites and artifacts, and tackle systemic racism through education and community engagement.

Why it matters

Understanding the full breadth of Black history, beyond the handful of well-known figures and events, is crucial for reckoning with the past and charting a more inclusive path forward. By elevating lesser-known stories and empowering local historians, this effort aims to bridge generational divides and ensure that the rich tapestry of Black experience is not lost.

The details

Historians like Jessie Davis and Dionne Babineaux are working to uncover and share the stories of everyday Black Americans, from the formerly enslaved to World War II veterans, whose contributions have been overlooked or suppressed. They emphasize the importance of letting these narratives be told in the authentic voices and language of the communities they represent. Meanwhile, documentary filmmaker Gordon Williams highlights the ongoing struggle against forces seeking to slow, stop, or oppress the successes of Black Americans, underscoring the need for perseverance and a shared appreciation for the full breadth of human history.

  • Black History Month is currently underway in 2026.
  • In September 2025, the Museum of Undertold Texas History held a public exhibition of its 'Agatha Babino: A Narrative of the Formerly Enslaved' exhibit.
  • In October 2025, a ceremony was held to give long overdue full military honors at the gravesite of WWII veteran Kate Pate Walker.

The players

Jessie Davis

Historian and founder of Historic Sacred Spaces, preserving several of Beaumont's historic Black cemeteries.

Dionne Babineaux

Founder of the Museum of Undertold Texas History (MOUTH) in Houston.

Gordon Williams

Documentary filmmaker who has made historical narratives, especially local Black history, a focus of his work.

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What they’re saying

“We want to tell the story in our own way and own expression and not the way we know (by someone — a designated authority who tells us how it was). We're not going to let them take that from us.”

— Jessie Davis, Historian and founder of Historic Sacred Spaces

“What I hope for is to look, not so much at race, but also to remember classism and how the things being enacted on us are based on class. The way we think about history is so segmented...I hope we can always remember the role our social positions play, the way we're all organized, and that we can think about it in a bigger way.”

— Dionne Babineaux, Founder of the Museum of Undertold Texas History (MOUTH)

“You have to have a desire to be educated, to learn. People have to be willing to step outside their comfort zone and talk to people who don't look like them.”

— Gordon Williams, Documentary filmmaker

What’s next

Historians and community leaders plan to continue their efforts to preserve historic sites, amplify marginalized voices, and foster greater understanding across racial and socioeconomic divides in the years ahead.

The takeaway

The next chapter of Black history will be shaped by a concerted effort to uncover the untold stories and contributions of everyday Black Americans, empowering local communities to reclaim their rightful place in the broader narrative of our shared human history.