Colored Teachers State Association of Texas Building
historical marker
This building in Austin, Travis County, Texas, served as the headquarters for the Colored Teachers State Association of Texas. The association, founded in 1884, worked to unite Black educators and advocate for quality education for Black students and improved working conditions for Black teachers. The association campaigned for a Black university and fought for equal teacher salaries. They provided legal support for Heman Sweatt in his 1946 lawsuit against the University of Texas, which helped desegregate graduate programs. The building itself was constructed in 1952. It was designed by John S. Chase, the first licensed African American architect in Texas. The one-story contemporary structure features a flat roof, metal casement windows, and concrete masonry. In 1955, the association changed its name to the Teachers State Association of Texas. The organization dissolved in 1966, after achieving many of its goals, including guaranteed equality of teacher salaries in 1961. The Texas Historical Commission erected a marker here in 2016. This site represents a significant center for civil rights advocacy in Texas education.