SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – As the nation celebrates Black History Month, Larry Wade reflects on the profound loss his family experienced when his great-grandfather died on the steps of the Smith County Courthouse.
Wade’s great-grandfather, John Henry Ervin, who had been fighting to keep his family’s land, collapsed and died on the courthouse steps in the early 1960’s. Ervin was in his late 80’s when he died.
Wade reflected on the first time he learned about the death of his great-grandfather as a boy and how it has profoundly impacted his life since then.
“I was just a little boy around somewhere. They told us that our great-grandfather had just collapsed at the steps of the courthouse and passed away with a heart attack upon hearing the sad news of losing some family property out in the country,” Wade said.
During the sixties, Wade’s great-grandfather was one of many black landowners who were discriminated against and lost land.
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county clerk’s office assessing department, circa 1956 -
southwest, circa 1960 -
county clerk’s office filings department, Mary Morris (future first female Smith Co. Clerk), seated at left desk -
view of interior courtroom looking towards bench -
Smith Co. 1955 CH, view looking northeast shortly after the 1909 CH was removed and Broadway paved through, circa January 1956, taken by Art Studio Photography
Wade shared how the loss of his great-grandfather’s land stripped his family of the opportunity to build generational wealth.
“It’s hard to be able to do the things you want to do when you have been lost and been disconnected from your past. The knowledge of your past ancestors, and the wealth that your ancestors would have passed down to a generation,” Wade said.
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interior courtroom, taken by Morris Burton in 1955 -
view looking north east, taken by R. L. Falkner from the 13th floor of the People’s Bank Building, circa 1950 -
interior courtroom, taken by Morris Burton in 1955 -
view looking north east, taken by R. L. Falkner from the 13th floor of the People’s Bank Building, circa 1950 -
interior courtroom, taken by Morris Burton in 1955
The courthouse steps are heavy with sorrow, and soon, the walls will crumble. Wade expressed his mixed emotions about the building’s impending demolition.
“I had mixed emotions about it as a lot of people do. We know that time brings about a change, but some changes are good and some are bad and some have got a little of both,” Wade said.
At one time during the era of segregation, the square served as a thriving center for the Black community. Black-owned businesses lined the streets, and it was once known as “Black Wall Street.”
Wade spoke about the amount of black history the community has lost, including the Henry Morgan Barber College and beauty school that were staples of education for people all over the country.
“It is black history that we have lost, particularly the Henry Morgan Barber College building and beauty school on top, where people were educated all over the United States and around the world,” Wade said.
Wade said throughout the years, “Black Wall Street” was integrated and, overtime, black history was lost in the process.
“I can remember shopping over there at the Jet store, the Rodney Campbell store. We had what we call a picture show in which we have, you know, others around the Liberty, the Arcadia,” Wade said.
A National Historical banner hangs where history has now been torn down, and a new courthouse will soon stand. Wade acknowledged how the community is losing a major part of their history.
“We are losing a major [piece of history], not just black history. We will lose a lot of history by demolishing that block,” Wade said.
Wade said that as Smith County grows, everyone needs to grow with it, but never forget what was there in the first place.
