Desiree Pipkins listening to Ian Campbell, a historic interpreter, describe life as a sharecropper in the 1870s

Two years ago, Desiree Pipkins discovered her roots at the George Ranch when she spent a week at summer camp exploring the history of Fort Bend County. Ms. Pipkins, now a senior at The Kinkaid School, recalls, "The last day of camp was Juneteenth, and we spent that day at the George Ranch. The big white house made such an impression on me because there was a white family living inside, and their black workers were in the kitchen. It was a snapshot of history. Reading a textbook about living post-slavery is one thing; actually seeing it made it more tangible."

The George Ranch, operated by the Fort Bend County Museum Association, is a collection of authentic buildings spread over 480 acres that depict farm and ranch life in Texas from the 1820s to the 1940s. Staff and volunteers duplicate life from the past in the buildings and give visitors a glimpse into history.

Ms. Pipkins says, "To see the people at the George Ranch take such an interest in Texas history, and understand that black history is a part of it, means a lot to me as a black student and as a black woman."

She quickly adds, "A lot of black youth are trying to disassociate themselves from the past, but I think it’s something from which to learn. Not to carry around continually ‘Oh, my people were slaves,’ but instead to understand where we came from, what our great-grandparents did, what’s been established for us, and how to maximize our progress."

Ms. Pipkins readily admits that her visits to the George Ranch have had "lingering effects" in her everyday life. She explains, "My experience at the George Ranch motivated me to lead SHADES – Sharing, Helping and Discussing Ethnic Studies – from a stagnant school club to a popular, multicultural club. In November we celebrated Cultural Awareness Month, we host lunch forums twice a month where we discuss current events, and Black History Month has become a huge celebration. This year we’re going to focus on black history in Houston."

Ms. Pipkins’ trip to the George Ranch also has influenced her decision about which college to attend in the fall. "The schools I’ve applied to all have great political science departments," she explains. "But more than that, they have great African studies programs that examine the African diaspora, the progress that blacks have made and the challenges that still confront us."

Because her visits to the ranch have had such a positive and profound influence on her life, Ms. Pipkins thinks everyone can learn something from going there. "Learning how each race and culture played a role in history becomes everyone’s history. People need to understand it and be able to see it, and I think there’s no better place to experience it than at the George Ranch. People can see how all the races and all the cultures and all the different minds worked together. That’s how studying history really works!"

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