*On this date in 1905, we celebrate the founding of Butler College, a coeducational Black school in Tyler, Texas.
Established by the East Texas Baptist Association, the school was originally called the East Texas Baptist Academy and was initially a combined elementary and high school. In the 1920s, the school introduced college-level courses. Following the death of its first president, Reverend C. M. Butler, in 1924, it became Butler College.
During the Great Depression, the school sold partial ownership to the Texas Baptist Convention to gain financial support. After World War II, Butler became a four-year senior college institution. Enrollment declined during the 1960s, and the college closed in 1972.
