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Texas Freedman's Bureau Act of 2025
Policy Brief

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

There is no question Texas has a rich history in supporting the efforts to ensuring emancipated Freedmen are enfranchised to be contributing Texans. This is evidenced by the 30+ Freedman Bureaus that operated throughout the state between 1865 and 1870. Today, that legacy must continue in the form of a Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs.

Continuing the Freedman's Bureau concept benefits the state both in tradition and good policy. A Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs is the accommodation necessary for our prosperous state to promote goodwill equally to its most loyal citizens.

When asking if reparations are due Texas Descendants of Freedmen, a study is not needed. The question whether the Great State of Texas profited from slavery is easily answered.

One of the founding fathers of Texas statehood, Stephen F. Austin, wrote:

“The principal product that will elevate us from poverty is cotton,
and we cannot do this without the help of slaves.”

The Goal: develop policy that will promote the preservation of lineage for American Freedmen residents of Texas by annually funding Freedman Bureau field offices to functionally operate in:
(1) creation of a certification system for Freedmen Descendants residing in Texas;

(2) implementation of systems to support a “Freedmen Card” as identification and demographics collection;

(3) providing focused access of the Office on Freedmen Affairs to state offices for work towards reparative justice for all.

Be it enacted the Texas 89th Legislature and Governor of Texas re-establish and fully fund with field offices a Texas Freedman Bureau called the Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs to serve Texas residents with services for preservation of American Freedmen descendant identity; and work towards reparations and reparative justice.

INTRODUCTION TO THE SOLUTION:

Texas Freedman Bureaus were the solution to a state-wide situation that required strategic planning and operational engagement for a post-war human condition. Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs will resume addressing issues within communities where descendants of Texas American Freedmen still struggle to be acknowledged as a vital component in society today... as was their ancestors in helping to make Texas great.

The Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs shall operate through four (4) field offices located in cities or counties that statistically represent the largest populations for Texas American Freedmen descendants.

(2) implementation of systems to support a “Freedmen Card” as identification and demographics collection;

(3) providing focused access of the Office on Freedmen Affairs to state offices for work towards reparative justice for all.

FIELD OFFICE METHODOLGY:

Each field office shall be assigned a Texas Office of Freedmen Affairs Commissioner appointed by the Texas Office of the Governor with recommendations by the Volunteer Council on Freedmen Affairs.

Field Office#1 - Houston Area

Field Office#2 - Dallas Area

Field Office#3 - Austin Area

Field Office#4 - San Antonio Area

Commissioners shall Not be paid a salary; but shall receive reimbursements for meeting expenses, travel and per diem. Other funded staff positions shall include a field office director, clerk, office manager and administrative assistant.

IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

It is proposed all funding for the operations of the Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs be budgeted under a state department overseen by the Governor of Texas. Opportunities for grants and donations shall be available for programming. High-level estimated costs and expenses include: • office space, supplies, equipment, infrastructure, cleaning and maintenance; • staff recruitment pay, salaries and benefits; • commissioner expenses and per diem; • legal representation, liability protections and insurances; • human resources charges and fees; • marketing and promotion; • bonding fees.

It is proposed the four field offices be housed in an existing state office facility with an estimated annual budget of $1,000,000/field office for a total annual budget of $4,000,000 for the Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs.

Texas is home to more voting U.S. Citizens classified as “Black” than any other state (almost 4 million); and they make up at least 13% of the state's population. Today, Black Texans experience both progressive and discouraging outcomes for being descendants of ancestors held in oppression since the beginning of the country.

DISENFRANCHISEMENT CONTINUES

• generational and community wealth growth is lowest among any other demographics;

• neighborhood environmental injustices continue;

• police profiling and abuses are still trending;

• descendants of American Freedmen have lost land and property illegally;

• taxes have robbed descendants of true ownership as was promised to their oppressed ancestors;

• rates of economic empowerment have been low and continue to drop;

• incarceration rates for American Freedmen are still higher than any other ethnic group in Texas.

Texas Freedman's Bureau Act of 2025

to provide Freedmen certification by re-establishing field offices.

Sponsored by [state district representative or senator] for the regular session of the Texas 89th Legislature beginning January 2025.

Be it enacted this Texas Freedman's Bureau Act of 2025 Texas Freedman Bureau field offices be re-established, fully funded and functionally supported through existing state agencies to certify American Freedmen and support Reparations claims for Texas citizens.

Be it enacted this Texas Freedman's Bureau Act of 2025 a Texas Freedmen Database be created and residents of Texas be issued a “Freedmen Card” by request.

In this Act:

PURPOSES.—

By creating the Texas Freedmen database system Texas residents who are descendants of American Freedmen, are more accurately assigned to demographics that properly describe their ethnicity, heritage and lineage. The language “Freedmen” shall be the appropriate assignment to certified residents in all statewide systems for identity and collections for demographics.

The purposes of the Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs are:

(1) To create an official office of administration and operations to process ancestor/descendant applications of Texas residents.
(2) To create an official office that will provide administrative, operational and legal assistance to Texas residents who are certified Freedmen Descendants for Reparations claims.

(3) To annually fund operational field offices of Texas Freedman Bureaus under the Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs.

(4) To ensure that other Texas state offices and agencies cooperate with the Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs.

By this Act:

A Texas Freedman's Bureau Database is created, fully funded and integrated with the information technology of the Texas Department of Health and Human Services Vital Statistics.

By this Act:

Any Texan who chooses and can verify to have an ancestor defined and/or described an American Freedman, as identified by the United States Congress from 1861 to 1868, shall be added to the Texas Freedman's Bureau Database.

By this Act:

Any descendant of a citizen listed within the Texas Freedmen Bureau Database can be issued a Freedmen Card in their legal name.

By this Act:

Any Texan with a state certified Freedmen Card shall be identified as “Freedmen” for demographics data collection in regards to ethnicity, nationality or race within systems for legal, health, public administration, public safety, education or all other statewide systems.

By this Act:

Four (4) area locations shall be opened and fully funded for no less than ten years to serve as field offices for The Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs. These field offices shall be located in or near Harris County, Dallas County, Bexar County and Travis County. The area field offices shall be housed inside existing state agencies.

By this Act:

Not less than 180 days before the initial planned opening of a Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs field office shall the state office responsible for the field office meet with representatives of the Texas Volunteer Council on Freedmen Affairs and agree upon the field office's commissioner, staff, programming, budget and all operations. The Texas Volunteer Council shall be responsible for presenting a strategic project plan for opening each field office.

By this Act:

OFFICE DIRECTORSHIP

IN GENERAL.— The Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs shall be directed by four (4) Field Office Commissioners, who shall be appointed by the Texas Governor's Office from a presented list of candidates voted on by the managing members of the Texas Volunteer Council on Freedmen Affairs. The four commissioners shall serve a two-year term in that position before being replaced; not be paid a salary; but can receive reimbursements for meeting expenses, travel and per Diem.

By this Act:

FIELD OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

IN GENERAL.— All field offices shall be funded to operate with the following:

A full-time salaried Director of whom shall lead administration for their assigned field office. Each field office director shall be hired by recommendation of the Texas Volunteer Council on Freedmen Affairs.

A full-time salaried Clerk of whom shall be responsible for certifying the operations of their assigned field office including information on certified Texas Freedmen Descendants to the department on Vital Statistics. Each field office clerk shall be hired by recommendation of the Texas Volunteer Council on Freedmen Affairs.

A full-time salaried Office Manager of whom shall be responsible for general office operations for each field office hired by recommendation of the field office director.

A full-time salaried Administrative Assistant of whom shall be responsible to perform administrative duties for the director, clerk and office manager. Each field office administrative assistant shall be hired by recommendation of the field office director.

By this Act:

The Texas Office on Freedmen Affairs shall have access annually for a focused meeting on Reparations with the directorship of the Texas state offices for the Treasury; Attorney General; Department of Public Safety; Parks and Recreations; Land Management; Commerce; Labor; Health and Human Services; Housing and Urban Development; Education; Prisons and Paroles; Management and Budget; Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and others as needed.

This Act is written by the Texas Volunteer Council on Freedmen Affairs and supported by:

-National Justice For All Party;

-North Texas Justice for All Party.

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