State Fair of Texas: From Big Tex origins to civil rights history

The State Fair of Texas holds significant cultural and historical weight, ranging from its iconic mascots to its role in the civil rights movement. The fair's famous figure, Big Tex, originated in 1949 as a giant Santa Claus in Kerens, Texas, intended to boost local Christmas shopping. After the novelty faded, the State Fair of Texas purchased the figure for $750, transforming him into a cowboy for his 1952 debut.

Historically, the fair also served as a site of racial tension and activism. During the era of segregation, African Americans were restricted to a single designated day known as ‘Negro Achievement Day.’ In October 1955, civil rights activist Juanita J. Craft and the NAACP Youth Council organized peaceful protests and boycotts against these admission policies, challenging the ‘separate but unequal’ system within one of Dallas’s largest public institutions.