Shankleville, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shankleville
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Unincorporated community
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 Shankleville, Texas
Location in Texas
Shankleville, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Newton |
| Elevation | 217 ft (66 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1380524 |
Shankleville is a small community in Newton County, Texas, in the United States. It was started by James and Winnie Shankle and Stephen McBride. Shankleville is known as a "Freedmen's town". These were special communities created by formerly enslaved people after the American Civil War. There were more than 500 such "freedom colonies" in Texas.
Contents
The Shankle Family: A Story of Freedom
Jim (James) and Winnie (Brush) Shankle were a very important couple. They were the first Black couple in Newton County, Texas, to buy their own land. Both Jim and Winnie were born into slavery. Jim was born in Kentucky in 1811, and Winnie was born in Tennessee in 1814.
Winnie had three children before she met Jim Shankle. They met on a plantation in Wayne County, Mississippi. Later, Winnie and her children were sold and moved to East Texas. Jim then escaped the plantation in Mississippi. He walked 400 miles to East Texas to find his family! The plantation owner in Texas then bought Jim too, so the family could be together. Jim and Winnie had six more children of their own.
Building a New Life
After Emancipation (when slavery ended), the Shankles and their son-in-law, Stephen McBride, started buying land. This was in 1867. They eventually owned over 4,000 acres of land. Their community grew into a busy neighborhood. It had farms, churches, and businesses. These businesses included mills for grinding grain, sawmills for cutting wood, and a cotton gin. There was also a store, a blacksmith, and schools.
Stephen McBride gave land for a school and a cemetery. He also built McBride College in 1883. This college helped educate people in the community until 1909.
Shankleville's Beginnings and Growth
Shankleville was founded in 1867. It was named after Jim and Winnie Shankle. They were among the first African Americans to buy land and become leaders in the area. After the Emancipation Proclamation, Shankleville became one of ten freedmen's settlements in Newton County, Texas. Other settlements included Biloxi and Cedar Grove.
The Shankles bought a large amount of land and invited other families to live there. This helped the community grow. Shankleville was a safe place where African Americans could own land and farm. They could live away from unfair treatment and economic hardship. This was important because many Black people faced segregation and low wages after slavery ended.
A Thriving Community
The Shankle-McBride family had special financial resources. They used these to buy land early on. This helped the community develop quickly. At its busiest, Shankleville was home to about 75 families. The settlement was successful. It had schools, churches, a cotton gin, a saw mill, a grist mill (for grinding grain), and a sugarcane mill. There was also a store and a blacksmith.
McBride College was a two-story building. It was open from 1883 to 1909. It was named after Stephen McBride. The school was also used as a community center and town hall. Teachers came there for training in the summer. When school was not in session, the college hosted events with traveling preachers.
Did you know that Good Morning America host and former NFL player Michael Strahan is a descendant of Jim and Winnie Shankle? His family history was explored on the show Finding Your Roots.
Preserving Shankleville's History
The descendants of Shankleville work hard to research their history. They help preserve the community and their family's story. Since 1941, they have held annual "homecomings" on the first weekend of August. These events bring families together.
The Shankleville Historical Society was started in 1988. Its goal is to "preserve the heritage" and "document the history" of Shankleville. The society hosts many cultural events. One popular event is the annual Texas Purple Hull Pea Festival. In 2017, this festival celebrated the community's 150th anniversary. Purple-hull peas were an important crop for the local economy.
The Shankleville Historical Society and the Texas Freedom Colonies Project are working together. They want to raise awareness about Shankleville and other similar settlements.
