The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbot, just signed a law establishing the 1836 Project to promote patriotic education and Texas values. In 1836 Texas declared itself an independent republic. In doing so, Texas not only sanctioned slavery (which had been prohibited), but made clear the subordinate position of Blacks. Sections 9 and 10 of the 1836 Constitution prohibited individuals from emancipating enslaved Blacks, denied citizenship to those of African descent, and prohibited free Blacks from residing in the state.
Here’s Section 9 in full:
SEC. 9. All persons of color who were slaves for life previous to their emigration to Texas, and who are now held in bondage, shall remain in the like state of servitude, provide the said slave shall be the bona fide property of the person so holding said slave as aforesaid. Congress shall pass no laws to prohibit emigrants from the United States of America from bringing their slaves into the Republic with them, and holding them by the same tenure by which such slaves were held in the United States; nor shall Congress have power to emancipate slaves; nor shall any slave-holder be allowed to emancipate his or her slave or slaves, without the consent of Congress, unless he or she shall send his or her slave or slaves without the limits of the Republic. No free person of African descent, either in whole or in part, shall be permitted to reside permanently in the Republic, without the consent of Congress, and the importation or admission of Africans or negroes into this Republic, excepting from the United States of America, is forever prohibited, and declared to be piracy.