The Gregory Institute: The Cornerstone of Houston’s Freedmen’s Town

The Gregory Institute was founded in 1870 and named after Union officer, Edgar Mantlebert Gregory. He was an outspoken abolitionist and spent his pre-war life helping enslaved people flee to Canada.

After the war, he worked for the Freedmen’s Bureau in Texas (tough gig) and advocated for emancipation and Reconstruction. He traveled across Texas pushing for improved labor rights and oversaw the construction of Black schools and churches.

Mr. Gregory did have a few quirks but he was a great human being during a time where it was much easier (and safer) not to be. He deserves more recognition for his work and every Southern history book should have a mandatory a 2-page spread telling his story, but I’ll digress.

Houston’s Freedmen’s Town, built by the formerly enslaved, was the perfect place for a school of his namesake. It officially opened in 1872 as the first Black public elementary school in Houston. For many decades, it was also the only elementary school for Black children to attend.

Even though it was considered an “elementary” school, The Gregory Institute educated Freedmen’s Town residents of all ages, quickly becoming the cornerstone of the neighborhood.

The Gregory Institute had three renditions, built in 1870, 1903, and 1926 respectively. The 1926 construction is still standing in Houston’s Freedmen’s Town today.

If you want to read more about The Gregory School’s history, you can read this Houston History Magazine PDF here. Otherwise, enjoy the photos of several Gregory Institute classes and their teachers below.