"FOLLOWING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR AND EMANCIPATION OF SLAVES IN 1865, IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1871 THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS IN TEXAS WERE ABLE TO UNIFORMLY REGISTER TO VOTE, FOLLOWING THE RATIFICATION OF THE 15TH AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
"WHILE AFRICAN AMERICANS SERVED AS DELEGATES TO STATE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS PRIOR TO 1870, THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS ELECTED TO SERVE IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE WERE ELECTED TO THE 12TH LEGISLATURE, WHICH CONVENED IN PROVISIONAL SESSION ON FEBRUARY 8, 1870.
"PRIOR TO THE END OF FEDERAL RECONSTRUCTION IN 1870, TWELVE AFRICAN AMERICANS SERVED IN THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TWO SERVED IN THE TEXAS SENATE.
"THIS MARKER IS ERECTED IN HONOR OF:
"(FIRST NAME, MIDDLE INITIAL, AND SURNAME OF THE FORMER MEMBER) (THE CHAMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE IN WHICH THE FORMER MEMBER SERVED AND THE LEGISLATURE DURING WHICH THE FORMER MEMBER SERVED) (THE FORMER MEMBER'S DATE OF BIRTH OR "UNKNOWN," AS APPLICABLE) (THE FORMER MEMBER'S DATE OF DEATH) (EACH COUNTY REPRESENTED BY THE FORMER MEMBER)
"ERECTED BY THE 88TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION AS AUTHORIZED BY (NUMBER OF THE BILL PASSED BY THE 88TH LEGISLATURE AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STATE HISTORICAL MARKER PROGRAM HONORING AFRICAN AMERICAN LEGISLATORS)"
Tex. Gov't. Code § 442.0061