Texas Country Reporter highlights Callandret Black History Museum

Interviewed
TCR’s Bob Phillips interviews Madden and Tumberlinson about the museum.
(Photos by Louie Diaz)

By LOUIE DIAZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com

The Texas County Reporter traveled to San Benito and filmed a documentary segment on the Callandret Black History Museum on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
Sandra Tumberlinson the treasurer of the San Benito Historical Society and Tootie Madden, the society’s vice-president, initially reached out to the producers of TCR June of last year. The producer, Quinton Blackwell, contacted Madden in December of 2020.
“I was so excited. Texas Country Reporter, I’ve been watching for years, and that we would be featured on that show, that should put this museum and this town on the Texas map.”
The Callandret Black History Museum is the first museum dedicated to black history in San Benito. It is also the only black history museum south of San Antonio. The museum was in development for a year prior to this and made its grand opening on Feb. 29, 2020.
Tumberlinson’s interest in the black history of San Benito began many years ago. Both Tumberlinson and Madden have been part of the Historical Society since its inception in 1995.
“Ever since then—probably 26 years—we have been digging into the black history of San Benito in one way or another,” Tumberlinson said.
The museum was organized in three months, Tumberlinson noted. She hoped the last of the Callandret granddaughters would be able to see the grand opening of the museum put together in her family’s honor.
TCR sat down with Lonnie Davis Jr., a San Benito native and a member one of the only black families in the city. Davis Jr. shared some of his family’s history and memories growing up. They also interviewed Tumberlinson and Madden and discussed the black history of San Benito, the importance of history, among other topics.

The Callandret Black History Museum has seen a few changes over the years. In 1949, Fannie Callandret, the wife of Joe Callandret, donated land to the San Benito school district to to build a school for black children. The building later became a school for special education students, then transformed into Joe Callandret Positive Redirection Center, and finally was renovated into a museum.
According to Madden, the building was donated to historical society by San Benito CISD because they had no further use for it. The San Benito EDC partially funded the renovations and the school district took care of the building’s infrastructure, noted Tumberlinson and Madden.
“The citizens started bringing everything we needed to recreate that 1950s classroom—different desks were donated,” Madden said.

Want the full story? Click here or grab a copy of the  Jan. 29, 2021 – Feb. 4, 2021

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2021/01/28/texas-country-reporter-highlights-callandret-black-history-museum/

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