Back to the Future
Texas History Movies taught history the old-fashioned way.
Categories: History
By: Mark Boardman 11/01/2007
Yet these comics were wildly popular with readers of all ages. Teachers used them in the classroom, and before long, they pressured the paper to compile the comics in book form. In 1928, the P.L. Turner Company published the entire series in hardcover. That same year, the Magnolia Petroleum Company (later, Mobil Oil) put out a softcover version—and offered it, free of charge, to schools across the state. This was a big deal; Texas History was (and is) a required seventh-grade course. Over the next 30 years, millions of copies were printed and distributed.
Texas History Movies left their mark. “Kids remembered the images and captions,” says Texas historian and author Bill O’Neal, who read them over and over again as a kid. “It may have been comic-book shallow, but you retained much more of it than textbook material. Ask native Texans of a certain age—say between 45 and 90—and many will tell you, they retained more than information; they’ve kept their Texas History Movies booklets for all these years.”
Mobil dropped its sponsorship in 1960. Some said the racial stereotypes were the cause. Others believed that the corporation was afraid it would have to offer similar books to every state in the union. In any case, teachers still used Texas History Movies in the classroom. P.L. Turner and the Texas State Historical Association sporadically released new editions over the next three decades—with a more realistic portrayal of minorities.
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