A new statue of Reconstruction legislator Matthew Gaines was unveiled at Texas A&M University on Saturday. Gaines had been enslaved at birth and was twenty five when he was finally freed on Juneteenth, 1865. He quickly became an advocate for the freedpeople of Texas, was elected to the state senate, and helped set up the state’s public education system. A student-led campaign that lasted more than a decade culminated in the creation of this monument. According to the university newspaper, over a thousand people attended the ceremony yesterday.
According to Texas A&M Today:
As part of the 12th Texas Legislature, Gaines was instrumental in ensuring the state took advantage of the federal Morrill Act of 1862, which lead to the creation of U.S. land-grant universities, including the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.
The university, now known as Texas A&M, did not accept Black individuals until 1963.
“In my eyes, this is a perfect example of public service: the unadulterated commitment to make a difference in the lives of others regardless of how it impacts yourself,” said Mason Alexander-Hawk ’24, Gaines’ great, great, great granddaughter and vice president of the Matthew Gaines Society. She was one of the more than 50 descendants of Gaines’ in attendance.
Alexander-Hawk, a doctoral student in the College of Architecture, spoke of the importance of recognizing the legacy of her ancestor, who she described as a champion of African-American rights and an advocate for prison reform, education and voting rights. Gaines, who devoted much of his life to serving others, knew education was foundational to the achievement of true freedom of opportunity for all, said Bill Mahomes ’69, vice president of the Texas A&M University Board of Regents.
“I understand the need to make sure that each and every student who walks this campus can look up and see themselves and their aspirations in the historic icons on the Aggie campus,” Mahomes said, adding, “Who better for us to look up to than Sen. Matthew Gaines?”
It was sculpted by Wyoming artists David Alan Clark and Mary Johnson (MJ) Clark, who in November 2020 were named the winners of an open competition for the art installation.
Matthew Gaines Society President Aketch Osamba ’22 said the statue is the result of the perseverance of Aggies who for more than 20 years advocated for an acknowledgement of Gaines’ legacy. The society will continue to emulate Gaines through campus culture, leadership development and public service, she said.
Osamba said the organization’s slogan, “Everybody Gaines,” is more than just a hashtag or catchphrase.
“It serves as a representation that Aggies, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion or background, can make a lasting impact on campus, even if they are unable to see the effects (during) their time here,” Osamba said.
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