PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas — Picture this: you're attending a university that's known for its outstanding academics programs, along with its rich history of being the first college to be supportive of African-Americans in the state of Texas.
Under that rich history, lies an ugly truth that must be told to understand the present.
Prairie View A&M faculty, staff, students, and community members formed a committee dedicated to telling the truth about how Prairie View was built on a slave plantation named Alta Vista in 1876.
The descendants of Jared Kirby, the former owner of the plantation are working with the committee to share the ways slavery and segregation transformed Prairie View's community into what it is now.
"Stories and storytelling and truthful storytelling can really build a community and that's the whole aim of the project," Becky Vanderslice, a third-generation grandchild of Kirby, said. "It's really to make sure we're telling the story of Prairie View."
The multi research project was presented to current students on Thursday. The purpose is to reconstruct the future and use the truth to shape the students of today.
A shocking reality to students like Asia Dechbart, who at times feels uneasy walking the colorful campus now.
"It feels kind of weird because like obviously people died and went through a lot of different stuff when they were on the plantation but I think it's really made us more thrive because where we've come from and where we're going in the future," said Dechbart.
Despite what happened to her ancestors, Dechbart said it contributes to the belief that the students of today have about themselves, that they can do anything no matter how bad the circumstances may be.
Unfortunately, in 1947, records of the university's history were burned. As researchers of this project file through documents, archives and more, they are working to reclaim that history.
When this research project is complete in 2026, it will retell the history of the campus and how the historically Black university's culture and community have transformed today.
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