Talbot Fund for Racial Reconciliation Funds Research, Education, Memorials, Racial Justice in 2022

Named in honor of two Black brothers who were the first enslaved people baptized at Christ Church, Matagorda, the John and Joseph Talbot Fund for Racial Reconciliation continues to support racial justice. The brothers are an example of the diocese’s complex racial history and story as the Talbots were part of the first Episcopal congregation in what was then the Republic of Texas.

The fund was created to provide a gift to underwrite a program of church and community racial reconciliation initiatives. It brings together the work of the Equal Justice Initiative’s lynching memorial work and racial and social justice work in Texas communities. Subcommittee members include Teresa Turner Change, Erick Kennedy, and Simone Talma Flowers of St. James, Austin. It is led by the Rev. Francene Young, Talbot Fund Subcommittee chair.

Talbot is dedicated to funding racial reconciliation initiatives associated with research, education, public memorials, and racial justice work within the communities.

Projects for 2022 include the following.

St. Thomas, Nassau Bay—Project on the grounds of St. Thomas, Nassau Bay honors African American contributions and achievements in NASA. The focus is on Ret. U.S. Marine Corps Major Charles Bolden, former administrator of NASA and native Episcopal Diocese of Texas member of St. Thomas, Nassau Bay, St. James, Houston, and board member of St. Luke’s Hospital.

Longview 1919 Project—This remembrance project sponsored by Trinity, Longview, involves a documentary about the Longview Race Riot during the Red Summer of 1919. The documentary captures oral histories of events followed by hosting community dialogues in the Longview area.

Tarrant County and Ft. Worth Lynching Memorial—Rt. Rev. Sandra Michels spearheads this joint project with Tarrant Coalition for Peach and Justice to care a lynching memorial in honor of Fred Rouse where he was lynched in Fort Worth Dec. 11, 1921. Influenced by a visit to Montgomery, Alabama, site of the lynching memorial, the project is currently being constructed and supported by six area congregations: Trinity, Fort Worth, All Souls, Arlington, St. Luke’s, Meadow, St. Stephens, Hurst, St. Christopher’s, Fort Worth, and St. Martin’s in the Fields, Keller.

Projects— Focus groups are formed to help the diocese understand the obstacles in talking openly about churches’ and communities’ roles in slavery and racial injustice. Two virtual focus groups with clergy across the diocese gather views on the obstacles to discussing race in the diocese while explaining the work of the Talbot Fund. Upon organization in 2022, sessions will be held in spring 2023.

Data Gathering: Better Understand and Address Obstacles to Racial Reconciliation

Provide an Educational Opportunity for Clergy and Lay Leaders—Clergy and lay leaders plan visits to the Equal Justice Museum and other significant sites. Tours would be customized based on needs, number of days, sites , and time for debriefing and processing. Planning in 2022 with a possible late spring tour has been discussed.

The application process for future project funding approval has been extended, according to Rev. Francene Young, Talbot Fund Subcommittee chair. Apply at https://www.edotracialjustice. org/talbot-fund .

The Racial Justice Committee (RJC) was created in 2020 after Bishop Doyle committed $13 million toward racial justice and reconciliation. Funds were divided equally between RJC and Seminary of the Southwest. The 11 members of the RJC come from historically Black churches in the dioceses, with Doyle as part of the membership. The Talbot Fund is part of that funding. RJC works with the Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF) to leverage its outreach to the 57 counties of the diocese. Work with EHF includes but is not limited to looking at health issues and racial disparities and helping parishes with necessary conversations to understand the impacts of these inequalities.