Beyond the Canon: New Histories of Texas Higher Education

While there is some scholarship on the history of Texas higher education, most of it focuses on large, publicly funded universities, well-known private colleges, and state university systems. However, with over 200 colleges and universities representing various institutional types, Texas’s higher education landscape reflects the state’s diverse demographics, culture, and social issues. Moving away from traditional examinations of prominent institutions like Texas A&M, the University of Texas, or Baylor University, this text focuses on three often-overlooked narratives: Catholic higher education, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). This article highlights the influence of religion, race, organizational competition, and emerging forms of institutional distinction in Texas’s higher education history. Ultimately, this article calls for further research into Texas’s higher education history, aiming to inform scholars and provide a more comprehensive historical foundation to guide them as they inform and lead colleges and universities in the state.