Clayton Vocational Institute
Manor, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1903 the Rev. Joseph E. Clayton was called to be principal of Manor's first black school. Under his leadership, the educational program included vocational and mechanical training, as well as the study of languages, arts, and sciences. In 1919 the facility became part of the public school system and was known as Clayton Vocational Institute. Clayton, who served as principal until 1925, later was an active leader in the Southern Tenant Farmers Union. Throughout its history, the separate school for black students produced a number of outstanding graduates. (1984)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1903 the Rev. Joseph E. Clayton took charge of Manor's first school for Black children and built it into something ambitious—pairing vocational and mechanical training with the study of languages, arts, and sciences. Absorbed into the public system in 1919 and named the Clayton Vocational Institute in his honor, the school produced a stream of distinguished graduates. Clayton himself went on to organize with the Southern Tenant Farmers Union, carrying his fight for opportunity into the fields.
Why it matters
The school stands for the determination of Black educators to build rigorous learning under Jim Crow segregation, and for the graduates whose achievements defied the limits imposed on them.
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Related people
- · Joseph E. Clayton
Themes & tags
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