A legal battle in the Texas State Historical Association could determine the trajectory of how Texas history is taught, and what content is taught. A lawsuit filed in Galveston County placed a temporary injunction against the TSHA board holding meetings, due to the fact it was violating its bylaws from who was appointed on the board. The bylaws of the Texas State Historical Association require the board to be compromised of 10 academic members and 10 non-academic members. 

However, the board now has a makeup of 12 academic members and 8 non-academic members.

The person who filed the suit is J.P. Bryan, interim Executive Director of the Texas State Historical Association. Bryan claims that the progressive views of Texas history are being pushed while silencing the more traditional views of Texas history by shifting the makeup of the board to lean one way. 

One controversial member of the board who is the Chief Historian for the TSHA made a claim that the Alamo commemorates white supremacy, back when Donald Trump commemorated the Alamo as a symbol of patriotism. There have been issues in membership since then, in which the majority of members in the TSHA are non-academic members. 

Bryan stated that he does not want to suppress any history, but rather allow all voices to be heard and believes the bylaws should be upheld in order to do that. 

However, the academic members on the board and the members with a progressive view of history claim that there has been a suppression in Texas history of the roles played by women, Hispanics, Native Americans, and historical events such as the slave trade in Texas.

The Texas State Historical Commission’s diversity statement last year, Healing Through History, states, “As we enact our mission, our responsibility is to recognize, include, and preserve the histories of Texas people and cultures, all of whose stories are an essential part of Texas history. We will provide the histories of all underrepresented and overlooked groups as well as those whose stories are newly emerging,” said Texas State Historical Association’s Diversity Statement. “TSHA will continue to revise and expand publications, programs, education, and articles on African American, Tejanos, women, and all those who have been historically underrepresented in the history of Texas. In addition, the Association will work to ensure representation on the Board of Directors and among TSHA staff reflect the diversity of the Texan people.”

There are disagreements between members and leaders in the organization that sets much of the curriculum for Texas history, writes the Texas Almanac, The Handbook for Texas, and The Southwestern Quarterly Review, and influences the educational programs and materials that teach Texas history. They are the primary and dominant source of how Texas history is perceived across the state. 

According to Texas Monthly, “members and leaders of TSHA had been going back and forth on whether the association was presenting a balanced account of Texas history in the educational literature it produces. Should it devote more time to the heroics of Texans fighting for liberty from Mexico, or offer a more scathing reflection on the key figures’ desire to preserve slavery?”

Executive Director Bryan, who has been outspoken in several media outlets, claims that it’s very important for the board to follow its bylaws and not be taken over by those who would only emphasize the darker aspects of Texas history, such as the slave trade and the pushing back of Native Americans. 

However, the other members of the board view that there is an issue of whitewashing Texas history that Executive Director Bryan is trying to control. They’re stance is that they cannot only emphasize the heroism that pushed peace and freedom fighting for Texas independence, ignoring the darker parts of Texas history. 

According to the defendant’s motion in the case, those who are being sued by Executive Director Bryan, state Bryan’s “ideology valorizes Anglo efforts in settling the western part of the United States for the purpose of spreading freedoms for all while minimizing Anglo support for the spread of human slavery and the important roles that Indigenous people, Hispanics, African Americans, and women played in shaping Texas.”

The lawsuit additionally rose because the president of the board called for a secret meeting in San Marcos to talk about firing Executive Director Bryan and stated she had the votes to do so. Bryan then filed a lawsuit knowing about this. As the board was meeting they received a notification that a temporary injunction had been placed upon them from doing so. Bryan is also suing for slander and libel against him by the TSHC’s president.

The case is moving to Travis County and will be taken up by a judge to settle this issue in the TSHA. The decision could have implications on the trajectory of the organization and how Texas history is taught.

The judge granted a temporary injunction to keep the Texas State Historical Association from holding meetings until the case is resolved.