Montgomery County’s newest Texas Historical Commission state marker honors one of 12 Black state legislators who served in the post-Civil War Reconstruction era.
J. Goldstein DuPree is believed to be buried in an unmarked grave at the Montgomery Memorial Cemetery. Last week, historians, elected officials and local leaders celebrated the dedication of a state historical marker in the cemetery.
DuPree was residing in Montgomery County when voters from the 14th District elected him to the House of Representatives serving Montgomery and Harris counties. He served one term.
LAKE CONROE MARKER: Lake Conroe’s origin story starts with drought. New marker traces its regional impact.
What led to J. Goldstein DuPree’s state marker in Montgomery County?
During the 88th Legislature in 2023, Senate Bill 667 was passed to recognize Black leaders who served in the Reconstruction era. The bill required the Texas Historical Commission to establish a state historical marker program to honor Black legislators who served between 1870 and 1875.
The digitizing of German newspapers from the 1870s in recent years uncovered DuPree’s story.
“Using the wealth of historical information provided from newspaper digitization, the time has come to properly honor these lawmakers,” according to the bill narrative.
What to know about J. Goldstein DuPree’s life
Research indicates he may have been born in 1846 and was most likely enslaved on the plantation of Franklin Goldstein Dupree, a captain in the Confederate Army, according to information from the Montgomery County Historical Commission.
“During the early 1870s, Black political participation in Texas was high under the Texas Constitution of 1869, drafted under federal supervision, explicitly guaranteeing voting rights and made Black political office holding legally possible for the first time,” said Larry Foerster, chairman of the commission.
Such is the case with DuPree. He registered to vote for the first time in 1868 and became involved in radical Republican politics.
BIRD ISLAND: Lake Conroe Bird Island rehab effort moves forward with new partnership
J. Goldstein DuPree’s tenure in office
DuPree’s term began in February 1870 where he served on the State Affairs and the Public Buildings and Grounds committees.
He is noted for being involved in a controversy over voter fraud after his term, according to the Texas State Historical Association. He was part of a legislative investigating committee where he testified about voters who did not live in Harris or Montgomery County but voted in the 1872 election.
In February 1873, he was reported dead with his brother testifying that he was hung by the Ku Klux Klan for his support of Gov. Edmund J. Davis, according to the state marker text.
The J. Goldstein DuPree state marker dedication
The marker dedication took place Wednesday morning. The Montgomery Memorial Cemetery Committee and community volunteers set up patriotic decorations for the event.
Former Montgomery City Councilman and historical commission member TJ Wilkerson was the emcee for the ceremony which was attended by State Rep. Will Metcalf, Montgomery Mayor Sara Countryman and Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough.