As we continue our look at important documents in Texas' past, John H. Reagan's letter of 1865: the Civil War was lost, secession was finished, slavery was over, and survival meant embracing a new order. We unpack John H. Reagan’s prison letter—its stark realism, its calls for legal protections for freedpeople, and its blueprint for rebuilding Texas through reconciliation, immigration, and industry—and place it against the charged backdrop of early Reconstruction.

If you value history grounded in documents rather than myths, this conversation opens a sharper lens on Reconstruction, Texas history, and the choices made—and refused—after 1865. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves Texas history, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question.