Episode 13: I. M. Terrell: The Foundation of Fort Worth’s Black Education System (Part 1: The Who)

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of We Got The Funk Podcast, DonTheBarber takes a powerful look at the life and legacy of Isaiah Milligan Terrell, one of the most important architects of Black education in Fort Worth history.This is more than a history lesson. This is a story about vision, sacrifice, institution-building, and the foundation of opportunity for generations of Black families in Fort Worth.From his roots in post-slavery Texas to becoming the leader of Fort Worth’s Black school system, I. M. Terrell represents what it means to build something lasting in the face of exclusion. Don breaks down how Terrell helped create a path for Black students when no real system existed and why his story still matters today.In this episode, we cover:Who I. M. Terrell was and why his name mattersHis early life in Grimes County, TexasThe legacy of his father, Alexander Terrell, and the significance of freedom, work, and ownershipTerrell’s education at Straight University in New OrleansHow he became Fort Worth’s first major Black educational leaderThe church-based beginnings of Black education in Fort WorthThe founding of the East Ninth Street Colored SchoolHis partnership with his wife, Marcelite Landry TerrellHow he trained and multiplied Black educators across the cityHis rise from classroom teacher to superintendent of Fort Worth’s Black schoolsWhy his impact reached far beyond education into institution-building and community legacyThis episode reminds us that before there were modern opportunities, there were people who built systems from scratch so others could rise.Follow DonTheBarber:Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube: DonTheBarber_817Listen, share, and help keep these stories alive.If this episode taught you something, made you think, or made you proud, send it to somebody else. Our history deserves to be heard.#WeGotTheFunk #IMTerrell #FortWorthHistory #BlackHistory #BlackEducation #DonTheBarber #TexasHistory #CommunityLegacy #CulturalHistory #FortWorthSupport the show