TEXAS A&M RENAMES BUS ROUTE AFTER MATTHEW GAINES
A bus route at Texas A&M University has been renamed after Washington County’s first African American state senator.
On Tuesday, Route 36, formerly known as the “Cotton Bowl Route,” was changed to the “Matthew Gaines Route,” following an initiative from the Texas A&M Matthew Gaines Society and A&M’s Student Senate. The name change was made in conjunction with the A&M Student Senate and the A&M Transportation Services Department.
Gaines, who was born into slavery in 1840 in Louisiana, was instrumental in the 12th Texas Legislature’s passage of the Morrill Act, which created the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas under the Land Grant College Act of 1862.
In June, the Matthew Gaines Initiative surpassed its fundraising goal of $350,000 to erect a statue of Gaines on campus later this year.
In a letter, Matthew Gaines Initiative President Erica Pauls said the naming of this bus route “pays homage to our history, increases representation on our campus, and shows that any Aggie, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or background can make a lasting impact.”
My brother was an Aggie, obtained his MD and Ph.D. in a time of social and political repression, late 50-60s. I turned down an opportunity to play in the band and went to U of H because of the same repression. My great, great, great uncle was Major General J.E.B. Stuart, and I was raised in a very pro-Dixie household. But I also came to understand how wrong the “Civil War” really was and how much we have lost as a Nation due to the lingering racism we have never tried to remove. The “South” will never ‘rise again” and it should not. I think naming this bus route is the first of many steps our State universities should do to help speed the healing of the many wounds that still remain so many years after 960,000 or more of our fellow citizens died due to the influence of very few.
I think its a great idea, he contributed alot to this area. And on the flip side if any white man that contributed during that time should have a statue also and it not be pulled down or moved. ALL PEOPLE THAT CONTRIBUTE NO MATTER WHAT COLOR OR GENDER SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED, if not then its racist.