Often times, many large and small cities forget their own history. North of Houston, Conroe Normal and Industrial College sits in an open field right next to a run-down historical African American cemetery.
Conroe Normal and Industrial College was established in 1903 by Dr. James Johnson and his wife. Dr. Johnson was a local professor and reverend who saw the lack of educational opportunities in the African American communities.
During and after the Reconstruction era, discriminatory laws permeated the nation and equal opportunities to education and employment for African were scarce. During this period, many black leaders such as reverends used their positions as leaders to establish black schools and universities.
The establishment of Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCU), provided many black communities across the nation with educational opportunities and in return with hope to a better social and economic life.
Across the nation, many HBCU’s have gone defunct and forgotten and many others such as Fisk and Howard Universities are still providing students with an excellent education.
For Conroe Normal and Industrial College, its establishment provided African Americans across east Texas with education and hope to a better life. Here many black young and older adults obtained an education in Theology, English, Math, Latin, etc.
Although, Conroe Normal and Industrial College is now defunct for many years the college was unnoticed and forgotten. Today, Montgomery County and historians are working with the city to recognize Conroe Normal and Industrial College as part of Conroe’s rich history.
