Travis County Commissioners Court
May 17, 2005
Item 4
We are ready for item no. 4. Which is to receive comments regarding the naming of the historic courthouse at 1,000 guadalupe street.
>> consent first?
>> move that the public hearing be opened.
>> well, let me go back and pick up one thing.
now let's take up item no. 4. And we have read it already. Any comments from you?
>> [indiscernible]
>> I guess before we take testimony from the public, I think it may need -- something may need to be clear as far as the process is concerned. Meaning this, is that what is the next step after testimony is received from the public today, whether that is written or either verbal comments? What's the next step?
>> the next step is -- alicia perez, executive manager for administrative operations. Good morning. The next step in this process on naming a building after an individual would be the -- the court would hear the -- the testimony today, it would be forwarded then to the Travis County historical commission. I spoke with the chairman of that commission yesterday, barbara hankins, she stated that the Travis County historical commission has set a public hearing for June 1st at 5:45 at the Austin history center in the mayor's room to take any input from the public. There will be no meeting in August or July, so they are hopeful to have comments back in June. That's why they have set the public hearing for June 1st, again at 5:45 at the Austin history center in the mayor's room. There are currently 24 members on the commission now. And ms. Hankins stated that they do usually have a quorum, so she feels that they will be able to hear the -- hear all comments from the public and get something back to the -- to the court. As of April the 27th, when -- when the end of the -- the call for names was, we had about 78 letters. Since that time we've had about 50 to 60 more come in.
>> is all of that part of our backup?
>> yes.
>> what's that date again, June 1st --
>> June 1st.
>> and the time?
>> at 5:45 at the Austin history center, in the mayor's room.
>> where is that located?
>> that is located on guadalupe.
>> and 9th.
>> and 9th.
>> next to the library, right?
>> yes, right next to the public library.
>> anything further?
>> no. I think that's about it, judge. Just wanted to make sure to get some clarity and some direction as far as what the step -- would be.
>> for those that would like to see a copy of our one-page policy we can certainly make that available. Do we have one sign-in sheet or two? Just one? Okay. We will start at the top, work our way to the bottom. It would be good to hear, I guess, reasons why the speakers support a certain nominee. And I will call three, to leave a little elbow room there. As one finishes, I will call the next person. Okay? Bruce marshal is first. R.c.gadwin second. Sherri laravy is third. And if we could have those three come forward and -- and sit in every other chair, give yourself a little room there, if you would give us your name, we would be happy to get your comments. Good morning.
>> good morning?
>> my name is bruce marshal. Can everybody hear me?
>> yes, sir.
>> I think you woke a few people up. [laughter]
>> > easy in the news they label me the writer, artist and historian. I like that title. May I suggest as a name to be selected for the Travis County courthouse viola eanes marshal, the shepherdess of the hims, she arrived in 1873 at the aim of 7 with her family headed by robert eanes who built the first eanes school in what is now West Lake Hills, part of the wider eanes district. The eanes school is the oldest Texas school in continuous use. She married, hudson boatner marshall. It was viola eanes marshal the person responsible for keeping the one-room school functioning and for establishing a community church which for many years was conducted in the school. Primarily, she is remembered as the shep shepherdess of the hills. According to the westlake picayune, she in every way pulled people together, becoming a living link between the isolated families scattered throughout the hill country. She regularly visited the elderly or sick on horseback. Or simply made friendly calls to share information. Again, quoting from the picayune, viola was known as a healer, neighbors called on her when they were ready to birth their babies or when they were sick enough to fear for their survival. Viola spent many nights at the bedside of a person in need. The community could always depend on viola to do all within her power to assist them. When a preacher could not be found for the church or a teacher was absent from the school, viola preached and taught. According to the westlake picayune, letting children down or allowing a lapse in their education was something viola would not allow. She was determined to maintain continuity for the scattered community of which she belonged. After 60 years of service to the people of her district, viola eanes marshal died at the age of 83 and the old eanes March -- in the old ranch house. This historic house has now been moved to the campus of the eanes elementary school where it's being restored to be a mini museum for the eanes district students in particular. And every one else in Travis County to enjoy. It will serve as a reminder of pioneer days in Travis County. But formal honor such as her name on the Travis County courthouse is long overdue for the shepherdess of the hills. Lastly to sum up with a final quote from the westlake picayune, should the community ever care to formally recognize their forefathers and mothers, gratitude for viola eanes marshall, 60 years of contribution, would echo through the hills from the past voices of those fortunate enough to have been benefited from her dedication. Respectfully submitted, bruce marshall. I have attached to your copies an article, preacher, healer, teacher by janine plumber of the eanes history center. In closing let me mention that many of you saw in 19799 phone book cover for the state of Texas, which I painted, it was on 15 million covers. The phone company asked me to do a second team of texans, they didn't want stephen f. Austin again or Sam houston. I think what they wanted was to include every minority, which I did. At least one of each, except that I remembered to include two of the most militant minority of all, women. Thank you.
>> thank you, mr. Marshall.
>> thank you.
>> bill hart.
>> thank you for allowing me to speak. I am the nephew by marriage to t.o. Lang. Once was investigated so I could date my wife now of 45 years. T.o. Lang was a resident of Travis County in Austin. He was an innovator in law enforce: he started almost all of the new things that we can think of like marked cars for deputy sheriffs, the -- the deputy sheriff's association, and it just goes on and on. Those of you all that can remember t.o., you know what an innovator he was. He was a very honest person. A very humble person. He worked in the church and in the community. As a person growing up, and seeing this man, I was in awe of him. I come here to ask that you give consideration to this man. He was a giant in this community. If you remember back of all of the things that he did good for this county, I think we at least owe him a consideration. Thank you for your cooperation. And i'll turn this over to the next speaker. Which is my daughter.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> james bowman. Ms. Lavary.
>> I would like to thank you all for rescheduling this hearing. My name is sherri laravy, I?m here today to talk about my great uncle, sheriff t.o. Lang whose name is submitted for the naming of the Travis County courthouse, today I brought you these scrap books, there's hundreds of articles of his career in the sheriff's department and his volunteer service that he did. My great aunt kept them on him and we recently found them. Your policy adopted February 13th, 1996 states: the individual must have made a significant contribution to Travis County. To me this means someone who lived here, worked here, volunteered here, and touched the lives of all the citizens here and in doing so provided a strong foundation for the county's future. During my uncle's lifetime, this is what he did. If the people of Travis County did not like and trust him, they would not have voted for him on five occasions spanning 20 years. My uncle served and protected the citizens of this county and the city that holds the capitol of the state of Texas for three and a half decades. For two of those decades, he did so in the courthouse where the sheriff's department is located. As the head of the sheriff's department, he was also concerned for the employees of the county. He consistently stood before the county Commissioners court to ask for things like health insurance for his deputies and their families, he fought for pay raises, uniforms, radios and marked cars. For the citizens of the county, he once asked for the funds to pay just for the salary for a deputy to patrol the lake as the equipment was donated and cost free to the citizens and the county. This saved both the citizens and county money and provided a source of protection and security. In one article, he was denied the request for the funds to scploi a finger print expert for the department. I can't imagine the sheriff's department not having a finger print expert for criminal investigations, maybe I watch too much csi, but that's hard to believe. From what I read the constant trouble he had getting funds to accomplish any of his programs, I get a feeling he had an easier time with the criminals in the jail than the county Commissioners court at that time. The courthouse should be named after a local citizen who was a hero of an era, an era of the county and city's history. Sheriff lang worked with other local heroes of the city, county and state likes rex kitchen, jamie clay, art [indiscernible], frank dobie, frank c. Erwin, junior, meryl goodknight ... Pierce johnson, herman heath, governor allen shivers, price daniel and city council man ben white. These are just a few. I am here to request -- these stories are of his career where he investigated child abuse, juvenile delinquency, arsonists, rapists and murderers and he did this from the courthouse, day after day. And I?m here to request from each of you that in the very least a man who has accomplished all of this for Travis County deserves fair consideration to have the courthouse named after him. Please vote to name the courthouse after sheriff t.o. Lang, thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you. Would colleen freytag please come forward. Bill hart is next.
>> thank you, sir. I?m here to suggest to you that the most appropriate person to name the county court after is the person who created the county courthouse in Austin, Texas. That's the honorable george w. Matthews. Judge matthews, who I happened to know when I came to Austin in the early '40s was a public service -- servant who served as a deputy sheriff and sheriff and county Commissioner and the county judge. He proposed the passage of a million worth of bonds to build the county courthouse in Austin. For that service to the county he was defeated at the next election. But after the courthouse was built, and people recognized the importance of the courthouse to the Travis County, he was reelected and served for a number of years. He actually served Travis County for years as a public servant, most of the time as a county judge for this county. I cannot think of any other person in this county who has served as a public office who has served in any other service in the Travis County that would be the most appropriate person to name the courthouse of this county. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> thank you very much, mr. Hart. [indiscernible] tutt? Please come forward. And mr. Brown, mr. Boweman is next.
>> thank you, it's an honor to be with you today judge and commissions, thank for you your time. I, too, am here to support the position that judge george s. Matthews should be highly considered for naming one of the -- of the Travis County courthouse. You have heard from mr. Hart relative to some of the history. There are some other items that I think are important that I will include briefly. One of which is that -- that when judge matthews was the county judge, he -- he actually went to missouri on one occasion to arrest an officer of an oil company that owed Travis County a million. He ended up coming back with a million dollars which was a positive things. He also, there are stories about him that -- that at the time in Travis County things were a little bit rougher than they are today. And there was one time where he saved a black prisoner from a mob lynching. So he was -- he was very, very interested in his position in the -- in the county, as well as his duty to the county. If you don't remember, I would have you look at this picture that I have got, the cornerstone of the courthouse has george s. Matthews county judge and all of the Commissioners at that time erected in 1930. I would tell you that george s. Matthews represents the cornerstone of the community, the cornerstone of the courthouse and the courthouse should be named for him, thank you.
>> thank you, mr. Bowman. Darlene freytag.
>> I thought you were calling the other mrs. Freytag.
>> my name is colleen, freytag, a native Austinite. I want to tell you where I was born, because that might have some significance on what I have to say. I was born in an old house on sixth street, so east Austin until I was married to my beloved husband was where I lived. And if we wanted to know anything, if we wanted to know what was going on in the city, we listened to and you are parents, we would hear them say well, t.o. Said, t.o. Said, t.o. Did this, did that. I kind of feel like I have known t.o. All of my life. And, also, in driving here I noticed buildings, particularly state buildings, and I looked at the names on them and I thought, well, I wonder why these buildings are named as they are named. I believe that a building should be named after a person who has either worked, served or volunteered in that particular industry or whatever it is like the frost bank is probably owned by the frost family and so forth. L.b.j. William, hobby buildings, they are buildings that have to do with whatever occupy ion or whatever it was someone did that n that building. T.o. Not only served the people of Austin, but also of Travis County, which he was sheriff, but he served all of the people, there were thousands, really, of lawyers that came through those doors. And probably t.o. Could have probably told you who they are and whether they were good lawyers or bad lawyers. And he knew the judges and he pretty well knew how a judge was going to come down on a case. He knew everybody and everybody in the courthouse knew him. I don't know how you can say more than that about a person and a building that mesh together. Thank you very much for hearing me. I appreciate it.
>>
>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
>>
>> ... Tried to get into the university of Texas. I wanted to let you know this young man was a -- let's say david. Against goliath. And david had very little to fight with other than the court. He went against Texas university and also against t.s. Painter. And all of Texas, so to speak. Because black people did not go into the university of Texas. We paid the taxes for the Texas university, but we could not attend. We were somewhat like -- or he was somewhat like if you went and put lay-away a dress on lay-away and somebody else wore it until they got tired of it and then gave you a chance to wear it. We could not use the services. Mr. Sweat came in regardless to what the problems were, and I imagine they were many to go to the university of Texas, the only black man. Can you feel what he must have felt in that school? But yet and still he went to the school. He decided that the family had worked hard enough, $3 a week, and surely I must be a part of the education of Austin, university of Texas and its law school. We didn't have things given to us on a silver platter. Everything had to come the hard way. I remember during that time that I was even working in a private home, and you even had problems on your job because of human sweat. You would throw in a rock in the pond and it traveled all around, every pob that came around, it came to you also, but you had to fight along with him for him to be in the university of Texas. What he did was great for all of our people and of all people, not only our people. His many years that he did spend in the university of Texas were -- were heroic. Somebody's child watched him, and today those children are right now in the university of Texas in the law school. We have black lawyers, and I commend our black lawyers who are here today. The song says how many roads must we walk down before you can call me a man. The song says the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The wind is blowing today, not tomorrow, but the wind is blowing today to make a change to give some black person -- we don't want the courthouse, we just want the name on the courthouse. So for that reason we ask that you today fly above as an eagle above all the turmoil that's going on around about you and make this be so for his name. He sweated out. His name pore son tpaoeus what he went -- personifies what he went through, and for that reason I ask you today if you never do anything else, give this man some kind of recognition. He got no award for doing what he did. But you can put a name for he was in -- in the legal service. He was training for legaler is ce and we need somebody to look up to. I would love for you to do this. The court needs to do what's right today. I came today -- last night I could not rest, and I had out a very bright-colored dress, and I said today is a funeral. We're going to do a eulogy today. And let's put aside all of this other stuff. Let it die on the limb. All the procrastination, all of the anger, all of the other things that go along that keep us from being a part of Austin and everything that goes on in Austin. Let's do that today. I beg of you today, if you will do this, the city will be well blessed for you doing so. I thank you.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, ms. Tut. Now, george, this last name is post, roast or -- if your first name is george and you live on jackson avenue. [laughter] please come forward. And gail morris at the same time.
>> I just thought I was signing in. I?m sorry, I wasn't going to speak.
>> are you in favor of a certain name or are you just here to --
>> for judge matthews.
>> we'll show knew support of judge matthews.
>> thank you.
>> then virginia raymond would be next. Please come forward. And darleen frietag is next.
>> good morning. I also did not come to speak, but to show support for t.o. Lang and the naming of the courthouse after t.o. As my sister noted, we were -- well, we're fourth generation Austinites, and we were raised on east sixth street. Where our parents had a business. The business involved food and alcohol. Oftentimes there were -- not often, but sometimes we would have to call about a particular situation. We knew that it was going to be handled in a dignified way but a very definite way that was going to protect our business and our family. I wish that you had the time to look over the scrapbooks of his great niece. You will find in there article after article after article from the Austin statesman and other entities that honor t.o. They were informative at the time, but now in reading back, they honored him. I don't believe that it was brought up yet that t.o. Not only was good for our county and as a sheriff, but he also served 15 years in Austin police department, two years of that with secret service. I was -- I always heard of t.o. And everyone knew him. I was probably in my early 20s, which is a long time ago, when I met t.o. Maybe a little younger. And it was so nice to put a name with the face. It was a social event when I met him, and I was just amazed at what a wonderful person he was. I had expected him to be a tall, burley guy with pistols on his side because I had always heard what he could do. And I was amazed to find out that he was a wonderful husband, a wonderful uncle, and he was just a human. I was born in 1949 and t.o. Became sheriff in 1953 so all of my life it was t.o. I didn't even realize what an awesome person he was until I started reading the articles his great niece had put together. I was amazed. I still am amazed and can't think of a better name for or courthouse than t.o. Lang because he did so much for the courthouse, so much for the city of Austin as a policeman and so much for Travis County. He kept us safe and we knew we were safe, and he was an honorable man. And that's all I have to say. I do ask you, though, to please name our courthouse after t.o. Lang.
>> thank you, ms. Frietag. Would kristen ingersoll please come forward. And george.
>> thank you, judge.
>> your last name?
>> gorge culvert. You may have recognized my name because I was in the automobile business for 40-some-odd years here. My father was in the automobile business for all of his life. His grandfather, my grandfather, his father was in the automobile business in Austin, and I?m a fifth generation Austinite. My great, great grandmother moved here shortly after the civil war. We've lived here ever since. I would like to second the nomination of george matthews because I feel like that the county courthouse ought to be named for the county judge that was the man who built and responsible for building the courthouse, and I feel like that it ought to be named after somebody who was prominent in the jurisdiction of Travis County and in the judicial process of Travis County. You usually name a building after somebody who is prominent in that profession, and since we have a courthouse here, I think it's only proper that we name it after george s. Matthews. Thank you, sir.
>> thank you very much. Ms. Raymond is next. And delores duffy, please come forward.
>> judge, good morning. Judge Biscoe and Commissioners, my name is virginia raymond and thank you for letting me speak this morning. I am here today to encourage you to recommend that our courthouse be named after mr. Heman sweat. Texas likes to commemorate battles. We're of course not alone in this. Our country does it, other places do it. And to mark important battlegrounds. It's the significance of the struggle that matters when we do this. Not whether a person -- whether a particular side won or lost at a particular battle, not whether the people, the soldiers who fought it were born in Texas or tennessee or somewhere in the midwest or anywhere else. And not whether the people who fought that battle were public officials, elected officials or anybody else. When we honor a battleground, we honor the people who fought there and we honor -- we recognize the historic seug caps ce of their struggle and many sacrifices. I would submit to you that the long struggle for civil rights and human rights in this nation, including but not only for african-americans, is one of the most significant if not the most significant long struggle that we have ever faced in this nation. It's a very long struggle, and one of the battles was fought right here at 11th and guadalupe. In our county courthouse. And one of those soldiers was mr. Heman sweat seeking admission to the university of Texas school of law. Mr. Sweat's battle, like many others, was not fought in that long struggle for civil rights and human rights, was not fight with cannons, not fought with guns, not fought with biochemical warfare. It was fought with the united states constitution, with pleadings, with testimony, and with the rule of law. It was a peaceful battle but one that entailed many, many grueling sacrifices of many ordinary, I call them ordinary because they weren't maybe famous, they weren't public officials, they were not stars, but many ordinary heroes. It's a preferable form of struggle to those other kinds of battles that we fight that kill people and maime them. How fitting to name our courthouse after heman sweat. Such a decision would honor both the strong -- the long struggle for human rights and civil rights, the many african-americans, mexican-americans, anglos and other people who participated in those and other ongoing struggles. And to remember that part of the battle was fought right here, right here, that not somewhere far away, not in washington, d.c., not in alabama, but right here. Right in our courthouse. When you name or recommend that we name this courthouse after mr. Sweat, you are not honoring just one man. He represents not only himself and his very important struggle, but you are honoring all of the other people who participated in that struggle. And I think that's entirely appropriate and there's no more fitting place to do it than at the courthouse. Parks are nice. Statutes are nice. They are wonderful and they are important. But when we walk into that courthouse, we are expressing a belief. However challenged that belief often gets, that we can achieve what we think of as democracy and fairness and inclusion and justice by walking into that courthouse and pleading for justice. In a peaceful way. This long struggle for human rights and for civil rights for all people, for african-americans, for mexican-americans, for asian-americans, for people with disabilities, for women is by no means over. But we have some battles to celebrate and some heroes to honor. We honor them if we name the courthouse after mr. Sweat and we also inspire those many people, including several of the Commissioners, I believe, who have continued to participate in that long struggle for civil rights and human rights. And who need that inspiration in troublesome days. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, ms. Raymond. Jim sylvester, please come forward. And misingersoll is next.
>> I have grown up in Austin and am for george s. Matthews and I feel strongly that he was responsible for raising the money to build the courthouse. He served Austin and the Travis County for over 50 years, and a majority of that time as a judge in the county courthouse. He volunteered his services and I feel strongly he should be the -- the courthouse should be named after someone who is responsible for building it. Thank you.
>> thank you. Would scottie ivory please come forward. And ms. Duffy is next.
>> good morning. I?m here to ask that you name the courthouse after heman sweat. So I guess I must say to you, since it looks like it's a prerequisite, that I am a native Austinite. I was born and raised here. This is my home. As far as mr. Sweat, I think you all know enough about him at 24 s point to know what he has done for this community. I think as far as he is being a hero, I mean what more of a hero can you get than heman sweat? Excuse me. He was not a sheriff, nor was he a builder, but he was a hero because he opened doors for a lot of people to follow. Had it not been for heman sweat, I don't think we would have as many lawyers, black lawyers as we do have at this point in time. Heman sweat was a hero in our eyesight. He was a hero. And I just think that it would be nice, it would be -- we would be forever grateful to you, I think you would do the city a great service to name the courthouse after heman sweat. And as mrs. Tut said, we're not asking for the building, we don't want to own the courthouse, we just want to name it. I think you would do, you know, and in that building practices a lot of lawyers that were able to practice because of heman sweat. So I think you would do us a great -- I mean the whole city just to give the name to him. Unless you have something else greater on the horizon that would be greater, you know, to do for a man that's fought the kind of battle that heman sweat has. Every building that's named after somebody does not mean that he or she built it or that he or she was a hero. I mean they contributed something, but there are a lot of things you can look at. They don't necessarily have to build the building for them to be named after. They don't have to be the president of the united states for it to be named after. A lot of this building here, the vote was new hampshire. Ned didn't build this building, but you named it after him. I think heman deserves just as much and that's all I have to say and thank you.
>> I?m scottie ivory and i'd like to thank the Commissioners and all giving me this opportunity to speak. And I want to thank Ron Davis for bringing this forward. Before I come out and before I do anything, I always talk with the lord to direct me in what to say and what to do. And I was talking to him while I was in the kitchen and I just thought about it, I said, lord, you tell me what to say because I want to do the right thing. So at this time I?m just asking to you clear your conscience, your god conscience and listen. He brought to me about -- I?m sure you heard the battle story john crying in wilderness and he was a forerunner. He is known as a forerunner of jesus. I?m sure you know about it. He was asking them to repent, repent, repent. And he fought that battle a long time by himself, but look what he fought for. He was coming behind him, jesus. The savior of the world. And he came behind and look at all the things, the miraculous things that happened after jesus got here. He was the one that -- he hung and bled and died to save us, and all of those that today -- as far as just like heman sweat fought that battle at university of Texas, a lot of lawyers and maybe somebody right here in this courtroom are black has gone to the university of Texas. You are a recipient of his hard work. Of that long, that long fighter. So today all I?m asking you to do is -- I?m not begging for anything and I?m not asking for anything. I just want you just to do the right thing and name that building heman sweat. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
>> thank you, ms. Ivory. Mr. Sylvester is next. Eric shepherd, please come forward.
>> i'd like to bring something up for the Commissioners and the judge. My name is jim silver test, historian for the Travis County sheriff's department and I just presented a photograph of mr. George matthews. There's been a lot of discussion so I thought they would like to aoe what he looked like. A little about the matthews family or more importantly Travis County. The state of Texas made a tradition of naming counties in the state of Texas for some of our founding fathers for the state. There's no doubt the matthews family is one of the founding families of Travis County. So for that I think using that mode of thinking it would be befitting to name the Travis County courthouse after the george matthews family. They were here in the early 1930s and instrumental in forming Travis County. George lived in east Austin in swenson's hill. He was first employed by Travis County in 1894. He was appointed superintendent for the road building crews here in Travis County. He also served as Travis County Commissioner from 1895 to 1897 and Travis County deputy. He was then elected sheriff in 1902 and served as the 24th sheriff for the next 18 years here in Travis County. While serving sheriff, he was elected as president of the sheriffs association of Texas. He was also instrumental in the recovery of $1.5 million in 1903 from the pierce oil company and antitrust lawsuit won by the state of Texas. And what was so interesting, since the Austin police department didn't seem to be available and the Texas rangers were short on man power, sheriff matthews at the time mustered his troops and went to missouri and recovered the money and escorted it back to the state treasury in Texas in 1903. 1.5 million is a lot, much less the impact on the state treasury in 1903. Also part of that, the company when they lost the lawsuit, they let it be known they were going to pay in cash instead of check so every bandit from missouri to Texas were looking for it. He also led the charge here in Travis County and Austin closing all the gambling houses and ensuring the saloons were closed on Sunday. Used to be much a 24/7 operation. He was heavy-handed with dealing with the riffraff in Travis County and made sure we were a good community to live in. In 1920, george matthews was elected as county judge for Travis County. Served in that capacity 24 years. He was the catalyst for the construction of the current courthouse which included a jail facility which is completed in the 1930's as a cot of $1 million. At that time it was s-rd a state-of-the-art facility and one of the models for its time. He also spearheaded passage of some of the first county road bonds in Travis County. Travis County is 165 years old. Judge matthews served 50 years in that capacity. That's almost a third of the time that Travis County has been created, he contributed a lot of self-less time and hours to the development pore the quality of life we enjoy here today in Travis County. That foundation that he lloyd laid back in 1894 when he first became employed with Travis County and he had a vision, his family's vision whether he created this county that we wanted to have a good quality of life for the future, for now and for the future and I think he established that in his 50 years of service and I think the courthouse should be named after george s. Matthews. Thank you.
>> thank you. Mr. Shepherd is next, and mitch grest. Please come forward.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners. My name is eric shepherd and I?m here today to request that you forward to the historical commission the name of heman sweat to name the courthouse. The american heritage dictionary states a symbol is something that represents something else, especially by association. And especially a material object that can be used to represent something invisible. I suggest to you today that naming the courthouse after heman sweat would give us a material object that could represent a number of things, but mostly hope. Hope in the rule of law. That the rule of law can be used to change those circumstances which some find onerus. Hope and trust that education could be used to overcome many obstacles and overcoming object stall calls to receive an education is a vital and important task. Hope and trust that courage, perserverance and sacrifice will not only be rewarded by giving you something, but that others will in fact be afforded opportunities. As chief justice wall list jefferson said without human sweat I would not be here. But most of all it's a symbol of hope. Hope that the confidence and trust you place in the system, hope and confidence that you place in those around you, hope and considered that one day things will be as you think they should be. Perhaps the best note on this has been struck by the Austin american-statesman in its editorial may 23. It said naming a courthouse after sweat would be an overdue acknowledge -lt of a long ignored piece of Travis County history. As this community looks for ways to celebrate its diversity, there is no better time to reclaim that history and it's for that reason and many more that I submit we should name the courthouse after heman sweat. To do this today would help keep hope alive.
>> thank you, mr. Shepherd. Mitch -- milch.
>> that's not my bad handwriting, I hope.
>> yes, it is. It's malcolm.
>> it was a semester of medical school that threw your writing off track, I?m sure. Dr. Floyd Davis. Please come forward. Morning.
>> good morning. Judge, Commissioners, I thank you for the opportunity to speak today. This morning I was --
>> let's get your real name on the record.
>> malcolm greenstein. This morning I was at a civil rights breakfast where president johnson's daughter spoke. And she spoke to commemorate the signing of the civil rights act. And to remind us that it happened awhile ago and that many, many people have forgotten about the civil rights struggle. I think that same issue is here today. What this issue has done for me is it allowed me to go the the history center and do some research to see what it was like to be a black person in Austin, Texas in 1940s. To be black in 1946 meant that there were very few jobs. If you were a male, you had just come back from the military and the only jobs available were menial. As somebody said, I rode in the back of the trolley to fight and I rode in the back of the trolley when I returned. If you were black, you could not try clothes on in the largest store in Austin in scarborough's, they would not let you. You had to pay a poll tax. And very likely you couldn't vote in the all-white primary. You could not join the naacp in Austin because the governor had refused to allow the naacp to be organized in Austin, Texas. And if you were a member of the naacp and it was known, especially if you worked for the government, there was a good possibility you would lose your job. Heman sweat goes to the courthouse in 1946. If he wanted to eat before he went to the courthouse, most likely he would not be served because he was black. If he was served, he would have to walk in the back door. When he walked in the courthouse, this is the courthouse that we are talking about, the courthouse that he was built in 1930, he had to walk through the tunnel downstairs with his lawyers because that was the entrance for the blacks. The waoeutsdz who opposed him, price daniel, got to walk up the main entrance. When heman sweat walked into that courthouse and looked around, he did not see a black employee working in the courthouse. There were no deputy sheriffs who were black. There were no deputy clerks who were black. And certainly there were no elected officials who were black. When you take a look at the photograph, the cornerstone being placed, all you see are white officials. There were no black officials. There were no black people in that. So heman sweat walks upstairs to the courtroom and his supporters have to go sit in the balcony. And during a break if they wanted to go to the bathroom, they have to go to a different bathroom than the whites. And if they want to drink from a water fountain, they have to drink from the black-only water fountain. This was the courthouse built in the '30s. It was a racist courthouse. I saw an e-mail from a lawyer who talked -- sort of minimized what heman sweat did. Said, you know, it was just a little lawsuit, it was pre-ordained what was going to happen. It took an incredible amount of courage. Lucy baines johnson talked about there was a southern letting or who voted for the housing rights act and that was george bush sr., and talked about the act of courage that took. That act of courage never placed him in jeopardy for his life, for his well-being, for his personal health. When heman sweat took this act, he knew what was likely to happen. As a result, his wife divorced him. His friends abandoned him. He had rocks thrown at his house. His house was fire bombed. He became ill, illnesses which lasted throughout his entire life. This lawsuit was so controversial that anybody who was white who supported heman sweat was labeled a communist. Jay frank dobie had to stand up and was one of the few people who publicly stood up in support of heman sweat because you were a communist if you supported heman sweat. And so he went to our courthouse to seek justice not only for himself but for many, many other people. By naming the courthouse for heman sweat, what we are doing is remembering. We are remembering what it was like to be a minority in Austin in the 1940s. We are remembering that the civil rights struggle is not that old. The first -- I was looking at some statistics. The first undergraduate that -- who was admitted to the university of Texas was in 1956. It was 1968 before a black was allowed to enter a from t-rpbt at the university of Texas. Civil rights struggle not that long ago. But we need to do something to make sure people do not forget. We named -- we have named a building after judge gardener, we've named a judge after judge bets. We've named one after judge blackwell and judge thurmon. After just mueller. After ned granger. All those people were elected officials. All those people did what they were elected to do. All those people are white. We are asking that you name a building for somebody who did not have to step forward, but because he did a lot of people have benefited. And by naming it on behalf of heman sweat, people will remember, people will be reminded that the struggle for civil rights was not that long ago and was fought because people crossed the bridge, but their lives in danger and in cleveland, mississippi and in Austin, Texas.
>> thank you. Now, dr. Davis is next, and he will be followed by our final two speakers today, alfred stanley and quasi evans. Dr. Davis.
>> thank you. Honorable judge, Commissioners, fellow citizens, I?m privileged to speak to you today not only on things that i've read and reflected on and had to do a lot of research on, but things that I personally lived as a citizen of the state of Texas. There was a person for whom I had the greatest respect and he was known by many as a very loving texan and he was senator ralph I can't remember -- gar borrow. My dad used to prepare the space to hold court for ralph yarborough and he had a statement he always put into the papers when he knew he was going to be published. And it was always put the jam on the lower shelves so the little people can reach it. And in this case justice is the jam. We need to have justice in the state of Texas. And we need to project an image that we support justice. I was one of those students who attended the university of Texas and its first school of education. In that same climate where heman sweat had gone through fears and inspirations to become a law student and to eventually practice law. I was a little guy. I haven't gotten much bigger. But I was a little guy, and I made it a point to fit right -- sit right in the middle -- we had 156 students in a class over there. I made it a point to sit right in the middle of the front seat so when I raised my hand, the professor could never blame me for not speaking. It was him who didn't recognize me. And that's what we have in terms of our justice. We also go through a period of transition when we replace the old for the new or the new for the old. Right now we are unnaming and renaming a school that I held dear to my heart, l.l. Campbell, named for the pastor of he be erbaptist church. It was l. L. Campbell as long as I could remember. But all of a sudden the name was changed. People aspire to what they believe they can hope for. When there's no hope for justice, there's no expiration for justice. We cannot live in an america where people cannot consult e internal hopes because they have no hope or no courage to press to get the things that they want and need. Educationally, we have to press to get the best that we can get. I hear things in the wind that's going to send another group back to the university of Texas. And those things involve the advancement of technology. The state has decided to make the s.a.t. Test more difficult so that more people will be weaned out. Some of the research organizations around this state and represented right here in this city, those organizations are losing the ability to be sensitive to a need for equal educational opportunity. We have kids who are going to special classes not because they've been diagnosed as having learning difficulties, but because, one, they are black, two, there's a stereotype that if they misbehave, they are being overly physical, and all you have to do is just send them to the office. That's not the way we learn. And as time goes by, I look at the things that have changed like if you go to the end of tillotson avenue, you will see the miles house, where thurgood marshall koeupl to visit when he was in Austin. If you are from Austin, you know minimumy's beauty shop. Right across is a huge house where the integrated law students went and studied because they didn't have access to the university of Texas library. We have a long way to do and a short time to get there because justice is not going to wait for people with discrimination. It's a form of -- it's a form of tyranny. When we have a situation where some people, even people from out of this country, outside this country come to the boundaries, cross the boundaries of this country and they have more rights than the people who were born here. And keep in mind the fact we fought a civil war once, and also a statement is made he who forgets the past is condemned to repeat it. If we don't fight for justice now, we will never get justice. So heman sweat -- sweat's name associated with this Travis County building over here, and when I say that and I reflect on the years past, the only time black people got involved in that building was when somebody was going to be electrocuted. And they had just -- which door to go to. I want to get this over with. Can I depend on my lawyer. We had one lawyer from dallas, his name was lawyer dern, and he come in on every case because he was the only one we could call o we didn't know any other lawyers. And when we had problems or created problems, they were handled locally. So I say to you in terms of naming this building, let it be a reminder of justice and a just act. When we decide that we are going to fight for justice, I will say this and then I will close. We are having economic discrimination right now. It's not by choice that we don't have the economic benefits that many people get. It is by circumstance. Designed by people who are not of good will. Toward us. The naming of that building will give a lot of kids a chance to think, I can do that. He once was a little boy like me who true balls and broke windows and lost basketballs and got spankings because I took a different route home and took longer today than yesterday. But in honorable memory of all those people who have gone. Reflect on your obligation to say I did something good today. I reminded the people that justice was essential to democracy. And you will have no choice but to name that building heman sweat court building. Thank you.
>> thank you, dr. Davis. Alfred stanley is next.
>> good morning, judge and Commissioners. I first want to say thank you for the public service you do sitting here each and every one of you. I also want to thank the person doing the hardest job in this room and that's the woman transcribing our comments. I?m alfred stanley. And I just want to put in one little thing for the viewers at home who read that heman sweatt is spelled with two ts. I am seriously interested in account k-g to the earliest possible ending of the system. I am seriously interested in contributing to the earliest possible ending of the system. These are the words that heman sweatt stood and taking on the hard task of desaying tion at the university of Texas law school. That system was not only in our kwrufrlts and our schools, it was in our courthouse. Separate entrances, separate seating sections, separate water fountains, separate bathrooms. I recognize that it is rare in Texas to name a county courthouse after an individual. Because so many have contributed so much each in their own era to the county that we call our home. But by naming the courthouse of Travis County for heman sweatt, I think we are doing not only honor to the individual who had the courage to change not only Travis County but the state of Texas and the nation into one that was more open, more diverse, more valuing of every human being's ability to contribute, but we are recognizing that here at our Travis County courthouse a great injustice was done. In that era. And that we repudiate it. We recognize the injustice and we are saying never again will such an injustice be done. That by naming the courthouse, we are doing something much more than honoring heman. Who deserves every honor, let me say. I?m amazed as I look back on the history that heman heman is not a household name like rose is a parks and james misdemeanor tk eut. People who by their courage of not cooperating with the system or defying the system are recognized for the contracts that they made. Heman sweatt did it earlier. There was no t.v., there was only radio. And newspapers. You know, a -- during the process of this, I wrote a letter to the court and I likened the heman sweatt versus painter case to the battles of saratoga and gettysburg and the battle of midway, pivotal turning points in the wars this much they fought. I sheur that letter with -- share that letter with a writer who I admire a great deal, alberta phillips of the american-statesman. A week later an editorial appeared in the statesman and I assumed that alberta had written it. I complimented her, I said do I detect the pen of alberta phillips in that fine editorial? She said no, in fact, I had my input, but the man who wrote that editorial was arnold garcia. And he recommended and the statesman recommended a 5-0 vote for the naming of the courthouse for heman sweatt. With that i'll end my comments and thank you very much for your time.
>> thank you, mr. Stanley. Quasi evans is next. Now, if you are here to give testimony today but did not sign in, come forward. At this time. Mr. Evans.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners. I?m here wearing this "hs" to show my support for naming the Travis County courthouse for mr. Heman sweatt. I need not repeat what you already know, that in 1946 when mr. Sweatt decided that he as a human being, intelligent human being, educated human being, would apply for admission to the university of Texas law school, he melt the qualifications -- met the qualifications but was not admissible because of his color. He appealed to the Travis County courts for justice. The courthouse is the place where citizens in Travis County go when they are accused of a crime hoping to receive justice. Heman sweatt did not have such hope. He knew that the law would not be on his side even though right was. He got the best african-american lawyer in the land in thurgood marshall and knew without thurgood marshall he would lose this case. But he knew more personally whether he won or lost, it wouldn't make a major difference as it did in turning around segregation in our country. I went to school in the 1950s in a segregated school. And the supreme court passed brown versus boyd in 1954. The schools in the south were not integrated until the 1960s. And some are segregated still. Heman sweatt did not get justice in the Travis County courthouse. And I contend there are many african-americans today who still do not get justice in the Travis County courthouse. There [inaudible] sentenced differently for the same crime than people of european background in the Travis County courthouse. And when african-americans walk into that building, they walk in with hope and faith but no expectation of justice. I believe that the mere renaming of the building sends a powerful signal not only to the people who walk in there praying for justice but those to dispense it that tprapls are humans too. -- african-americans are human too, are citizens too. Heman sweatt was known as saying I?m a human being, an american citizen, a man who wants and deserves the same rights and privileges of every other citizen in this great state of ours. I should not be denied simply because of the color of my skin, but he was. He should not be denied today in the naming of this bidding because he is not european-american, he was not a judge, he did not finish law school. His job was not to finish, it was to open the door for others. And open those doors to justice for others today and I can think of no better way of opening those doors of hope and justice than to put the name above the door of heman sweatt. As my friend what malcolm said, it stands for hope. Rise the a higher standard. Let hope survive and rename the Travis County courthouse for heman. Thank you.
>> thank you. Anybody else to give testimony during this public hearing? If so, please come forward.
>> I move the public hearing be closed.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Number 4 says after the public hearing, the Commissioners court shall -- will submit all recommendations to the Travis County historical commission, or any other group designated by the Commissioners court for review and comment. So I move that we submit all recommendations to the historical commission, which is the group that we have designated for review and comment.
>> second that. And judge, with that cough ineed to remind the public agan of the June 1st meeting, 2005 at 5:45 p.m. At the historic building at guadalupe and 9th street where there will be further input in this process. And hopefully the historic -- Travis County historic commission will at that time, I guess, send comments back to the Travis County Commissioners court, and at that time I guess [inaudible] will be forthcoming to look at those particular comments and take appropriate action at that time. I just want to make sure the process is as -- for those that are in the listening audience and have looked at this today.
>> okay.
>> and i'd like to just say this also, i've said it before, I?m going to support the name of this building for heman sweatt.
>> I think the commission should be advised if there is anything the court can do to facilitate the review, let us know. If they want us to get a transcription of today's testimony, if we have early notice, we should be able to get that done. Any more discussion on the motion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank all of you all for your input. And if the public hearing is held by the Travis County historical commissio June 1st, I expect them to get back to Commissioners court with the recommendation and comments shortly thereafter. Last time they did it in, what, about a week to 10 days? Thank you for your participation.
>> I think melissa would remind us that anybody that has a computer has the ability to repull up our meeting and actually come down to item number 4 and click it and watch that item all over again. So people can actually watch the item as well.
>> thanks to everybody.
>> thank you.
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Wednesday, May 18, 2005 7:54 AM