TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Curtis M. Graves 1938-2023 Texas State Representative, NASA Executive, and, Civil Rights Leader F ormer Texas State Representative Curtis M. Graves (Beta
“ON JANUARY 10, 1967, HE WAS SWORN IN AND TOOK HIS SEAT IN THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AS ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS ELECTED SINCE 1891. THE GALENA PARK (TX) ALUMNI AND OTHER KAPPAS IN THE HOUSTON AREA TRAVELED TO AUSTIN TO ATTEND HIS HISTORIC SWEARING-IN CEREMONY. ”
Upsilon 1962) entered the Chapter Invisible on July 26, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. Curtis Matthew Graves was born on August 26, 1938, in New Orleans, LA, the son of Fregelio Joseph Graves and Mabel Haydel Graves. Graves’ father and uncle were the first African-American to own an Esso gas station in Louisiana. He attended Catholic grade schools in New Orleans and gradu- ated from Xavier Prep. After high school, Graves briefly attended Xavier University before trans- ferring to Texas Southern University (TSU), where he graduated in 1963 with a degree in business admin- istration. Growing up in a family that taught him about justice and human rights, Graves became a civil rights activist at TSU. He participated in sit-ins and marches and helped
found the Progressive Youth Association, which played a major role in the peaceful desegregation protests in Houston. After graduating TSU, Graves joined the Standard Savings Association as comptroller. In 1964, the Standard Savings Asso- ciation named Graves as a member of its board. Graves joined the Boy Scouts, Frontiers Inter- national, and other social, civic and religious organi- zations during this time. In 1965, Graves helped
charter the Galena Park (TX) Alumni Chapter, serving the chapter as vice polemarch, while becoming involved in local politics. In February 1966, Graves filed as a candidate for the Texas House of Representa- tives, District 23, position 6 in the Democratic primary and, after a tough campaign, took 50.5 percent of the votes while running against two white opponents in a predominately white district. In the November election, he was unopposed but campaigned for other
Democratic nominees on the state and local level. On January 10, 1967, he was sworn in and took his seat in the Texas House of Representatives as one of the first African Americans elected since 1891. The Galena Park (TX) Alumni and other Kappas in the Houston area traveled to Austin to attend his historic swearing-in ceremony. Graves was one of three newly elected state repre- sentatives from Houston that year, including Barbara Jordan. Another Houston
100 THE JOURNAL ♦ SUMMER 2023
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