Celebrating Black History in Colorado County

Home of the original Farmers’ Improvement Society

Eagle Lake Remembers

The Civil War in America brought many changes. Among the most important was the challenge of assisting the newly freed black farmers with education, community-building, profitable farming techniques, and economic understanding for their success. Many had little education or money or community.

Colorado County was an important part of this history, home to the founder of the well-known Farmers’ Improvement Society of Texas, African American farmer Robert Lloyd Smith (1861-1942). Smith was an educated man and had studied at Avery Institute, the University of South Carolina, and Atlanta University, where he graduated in 1880.

He was born a free man in Charleston, South Carolina and was a passionate teacher and role model for many African Americans. Smith made the decision to move to Texas, coming to Colorado County around 1880.

Smith had once been a friend and assistant to Booker T. Washington. He decided to come to a village called “Freedmantown” near Prairie Point, which later became “Oakland” near Weimar and Columbus. It was on the stagecoach line between Columbus and Gonzales in the 1840s. Smith became the principal of the Oakland Normal School, which became a leading teacher-training school.

In his work at Freedmantown, he was passionate for improving the living and working conditions of African Americans after the Civil War. He wanted to bring the quality of home life to the highest advantage and began to teach self-help programs for educational and economic independence.

In 1889 while living in Oakland, Smith organized the “Village Improvement So- ciety of Oakland, Texas” with the goal of helping village improvement through self-improvement. The Village Improvement Society grew to become the “Farmers’ Improvement Society,” which grew to advance all over Texas, holding classes, convocations, and discussions.

By 1900, the Society had 86 local branches and 2340 members. By 1909 it had 21,000 members and had spread to Oklahoma and Arkansas, growing to over 30,000 members. The Society held fairs, sponsored local agricultural events, promoted land ownership, participation of women in farm activity and the advancement of African Americans and their families.

R.L. Smith and his positive work made such an impact that he was elected to the 24th and 25th Texas Legislatures and was among Colorado County’s most accomplished citizens. He taught at Prairie View Normal School, was the first president of the Texas branch of the National Negro League and opened the first Farmers’ Improvement Society Bank in Waco, Texas in 1907. Hefoundedthe multi-building Farmers’ Improvement Agricultural College in Wolfe City, Texas which remained until the depression and Smith’s death in 1942.

Smith’s legacy and work have created pathways for progress for African Americans, their families and their communit ies throughout Texas and the South. He reminds us of the importance and effectiveness of individual effort in bringing about lasting change.