Texas State Library and Archives Commission

We will be rolling out an enormous, 10' x 13', 28-star U.S. flag on July 3 in honor of Independence Day! This national flag flew for one year beginning on July 4, 1846, after Texas joined United States as the 28 state and is now part of the historic flag collection at the State Archives. Visitors are invited to view the flag in the Reference Reading Room of the Lorenzo de Zavala Archives and Library Building from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 3, as part of the celebrations. July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the United States’ Declaration of Independence. Stop by TSLAC for this event and pick up a free flag to wave at your local July 4 parade!

Historian W. Caleb McDaniel of Rice University recently published a piece about Juneteenth and pointed to a newspaper article from 1866 documenting the first celebration of that anniversary in Houston. June 19, 1865, was the date when General Gordon Granger ordered that the Emancipation Proclamation be enforced in Texas. According to McDaniel, Houston’s 1866 celebration “was the first recorded public observance of the anniversary that later became known as Juneteenth.” He reported that the Daily Evening Star newspaper article from June 20, 1866, has been an overlooked account of this event. The State Archives has in our holdings the original Daily Evening Star newspaper which has been digitized and added to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission collection in The Portal to Texas History.

Image: Purdom, R. H. Daily Evening Star. (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 72, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 20, 1866, newspaper, June 20, 1866; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1882552/: accessed June 5, 2026), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1882552/

Learn more about this post:
McDaniel wrote about the 1866 Daily Evening Star newspaper article on his blog:
http://wcaleb.org/blog/first-juneteenth-houston and included reference to it in an upcoming scholarly work in the Journal of Texas History: https://www.alliancefortexashistory.org/juneteenth.

Thanks, KXAN News!

Did you miss your chance to see this Texas-sized U.S. flag at Saturday’s Flag Day event? Stay tuned—we’re bringing it out again ahead of Independence Day! 🇺🇸

Rare 28-star flag highlights Flag Day celebration at Texas State Library A rare 28-star U.S. flag and historic Texas documents were displaye...

Thank you to everyone who attended on Saturday to celebrate Flag Day at TSLAC! You helped make the day such a memorable celebration of Texas history and heritage!

We were honored to welcome Texas State Historian Dr. Richard B. “Rick” McCaslin and appreciate his engaging presentation. A special thank you as well to Dr. Carolina Castillo Crimm and author GeorgiAnne Brochstein for a wonderful discussion on Texas Before the Lone Star.

TOMORROW! Join the Talking Book Program for an online talk on Tuesday, June 16 at 7:00 p.m. (Central) with author Tim Hemlin.

Reader’s Advisory Librarian Laura Jean will discuss his career and his book, "If Wishes Were Horses."

Following the talk, there will be a Q&A session. Learn more, watch past talks, and register for tomorrow at https://www.tsl.texas.gov/tbp/authortalks

Our Celebrate Flag Day at TSLAC event is underway! We enjoyed a talk from Texas State Historian Dr. Richard B. “Rick” McCaslin this morning, many visitors have viewed our lobby exhibit and the historic 28-star US flag, and we’re looking forward to the special on “Texas Before the Lone Star” with Dr. Carolina Castillo Crimm and author GeorgiAnne Brochstein at 2:00 p.m! Stop by and celebrate Flag Day early—we even have free mini Stars and Stripes flags to give away—while supplies last. We will be open until 3:30 p.m.

Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building
1201 Brazos St.
Austin, TX 78701
Next door to the Texas Capitol!

Excited to see you tomorrow at The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) on Saturday, June 13, for a celebration of Flag Day!

Flag Day at TSLAC Program:
10:00 a.m. Special viewing of rare 28-star U.S. flag from 1846.
11:00 a.m. “Texas Joins the United States” presentation by Texas State Historian Dr. Richard B. “Rick” McCaslin.
2:00 p.m. “Texas: Before the Lone Star” with Dr. Carolina Castillo Crimm and author GeorgiAnne Brochstein, interviewed by Michele Chan Santos, Texas Center for the Book.
3:30 p.m. Event concludes.
https://www.tsl.texas.gov/node/70650

We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of a true Texas Treasure and friend of the State Archives, historian Dr. T. Lindsay Baker.

Dr. Baker was a regular visitor to our research room, as he was a prolific author of historical works. TSLAC staff appreciated Dr. Baker's kindness and his enthusiasm for the documents he found at TSLAC while researching the history of Route 66 through Texas. He noted the Texas Department of Transportation Right of Way Division records and Highway Department historical records as particularly helpful. His warm, engaging personality and witty humor was always welcome and his gift for storytelling a benefit to his profession. He will be missed.

Image: T. Lindsay Baker (l) with State Archivist Jelain Chubb (c) and TSLAC Commissioner Monte Monroe (r) at the 2026 Texas State Historical Association annual meeting.