Kilgore Church Honors 3 Women for Decades of Service & Community Impact

Clora Austin, Cleo Morgan, and Maxine Fortson recognized for lifelong dedication to education and service in East Texas

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Three remarkable women - Clora Austin, 100, Cleo Morgan, 99, and Maxine Fortson, 90 - were recently honored by Mt. Pleasant C.M.E. Church and the City of Kilgore for their decades of service and dedication to the East Texas community. The women have deep roots in the region and a shared history of overcoming obstacles to pursue education and contribute to their community.

Why it matters

The stories of Austin, Morgan, and Fortson highlight the critical role churches played in providing educational opportunities for African American communities during segregation, and the enduring impact of those early experiences on their lifelong dedication to education and service.

The details

Clora Austin, born in 1926, has lived her entire life on land originally purchased by her grandfather in 1912. She graduated from North Chapel High School in 1945 and later earned degrees from Texas College and Prairie View A&M University, teaching special education for nearly 30 years before retiring in 1987. Cleo Morgan, a 1945 graduate of Kilgore Colored High School, faced segregation firsthand, attending Wiley College before moving to New York and later earning a master's degree from Texas Southern University. She taught for 17 years in Lubbock during the integration period of the 1960s, retiring in 1984 after 34 years in education. Maxine Fortson, 90, has been connected to Mt. Pleasant C.M.E. Church for approximately 80 years. After graduating from Kilgore Colored High School, she pursued nursing, earning a degree in Salina, Kansas, and later training as an anesthesia nurse in Kansas City, Missouri, where she worked for 20 years before returning to East Texas in 1974.

  • Clora Austin was born on February 11, 1926.
  • Clora Austin graduated from North Chapel High School in 1945.
  • Cleo Morgan graduated from Kilgore Colored High School in 1945.
  • Maxine Fortson has been connected to Mt. Pleasant C.M.E. Church for approximately 80 years.

The players

Clora Austin

A 100-year-old woman who has lived her entire life on land originally purchased by her grandfather in 1912. She graduated from North Chapel High School in 1945, earned degrees from Texas College and Prairie View A&M University, and taught special education for nearly 30 years before retiring in 1987.

Cleo Morgan

A 99-year-old woman who graduated from Kilgore Colored High School in 1945, faced segregation firsthand, attended Wiley College, and later earned a master's degree from Texas Southern University. She taught for 17 years in Lubbock during the integration period of the 1960s, retiring in 1984 after 34 years in education.

Maxine Fortson

A 90-year-old woman who has been connected to Mt. Pleasant C.M.E. Church for approximately 80 years. After graduating from Kilgore Colored High School, she pursued nursing, earning a degree in Salina, Kansas, and later training as an anesthesia nurse in Kansas City, Missouri, where she worked for 20 years before returning to East Texas in 1974.

Mt. Pleasant C.M.E. Church

A church that originally provided education for Black children in the area when public schools were not available to them.

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What they’re saying

“I am a product of the Mount Pleasant Elementary School”

— Clora Austin (Newsy-Today.com)

“Schools for Black students were often behind, relying on textbooks delivered by bus from white schools.”

— Maxine Fortson (Newsy-Today.com)

What’s next

The church is currently awaiting approval for a historical park plaque to recognize the site's importance in the community's educational and religious history, having already covered the cost of the marker.

The takeaway

The stories of Clora Austin, Cleo Morgan, and Maxine Fortson illustrate the resilience and dedication of African American women in the face of segregation and limited educational opportunities, and the enduring impact of their lifelong service to their community.