When Dexter McCoy stepped into history as the first African American elected to serve as Fort Bend County Judge, the victory resonated far beyond a single political campaign.
In a county forged by the complex, painful history of the American South and transformed into one of the most diverse suburban landscapes in the nation, McCoy’s election represents a profound turning point.
“I think tonight is about all the people in Fort Bend,” said McCoy, Fort Bend County Judge-elect. “We have dealt with, for the past couple of years, folks who have been more concerned about their own political power than the power of the residents of Fort Bend. And so, I think residents showed up tonight, sent a resounding message.
“And what this means is a government that’s actually going to move and work and fight for the people.”
Black supporters speak
For Black residents of Fort Bend County, McCoy’s victory is not merely a symbolic triumph—it’s a full-circle historical reclamation.
“What you’re going to get with Dexter McCoy, above all things, when you see Dexter in office is character,” said Fort. Bend resident Robert Lewis. “He is going to stand and be as he’s supposed to be, not flipping and flopping and moving all over the place with any kind of issue.
“He’s going to take care of the people in this district and make sure everybody is good no matter where they voted.”
Lewis believes McCoy will provide opportunities for Black Fort Bend County residents, and others.
“I think he’s going to help continue to grow the entire community. For Black people in particular, I know the type of young man that he is. He’s going to make sure that he’s helping to build Black businesses,” Lewis said. “But he’s going to make sure that everybody is given opportunities in this county.”
Among the many elected officials who were on hand at McCoy’s Election Night watch party, Houston City Council Member Tiffany Thomas summed up what many stated.
“Fort Bend County, you did your damn job tonight,” declared Thomas, as she introduced McCoy to supporters for his victory speech.
The modern mosaic: Diversity in Fort Bend today
McCoy assumes leadership over a county vastly different from the agricultural enclave of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Beginning with the mid-century discoveries of oil and gas and the suburban expansion of the 1970s, Fort Bend evolved through master-planned developments like Quail Valley, First Colony, New Territory, Cinco Ranch, and Sienna.
Today, Fort Bend County stands as one of the most racially, ethnically, religiously, and culturally diverse counties in the entire United States. Its population is an intricate mosaic of African American, Asian American, Latino, Anglo, and immigrant communities representing dozens of faiths and cultures.
For Black residents, McCoy’s election proves that this celebrated diversity is finally reflected at the very highest level of local decision-making. His victory reassures historically marginalized communities that their voices, histories, and priorities matter in shaping the county’s future.
Challenges and opportunities for the first Black county judge
As chief executive of Fort Bend County, McCoy faces a dual responsibility: honoring the historical significance of his election while navigating the governance of a rapidly growing metropolis.
Opportunities
- Inclusive Governance: McCoy has a unique platform to foster equitable economic development, ensuring that historically underserved neighborhoods—including former Freedom Colony areas—receive fair investment in infrastructure, flood mitigation, and public transportation.
- Bridge-Building: Leading one of America’s most diverse counties offers an opportunity to model coalition building across racial, ethnic, and political lines.
- Educational and Civic Inspiration: His presence in the county judge’s seat serves as a powerful inspiration for younger generations of Black and minority youth.
Challenges
- Balancing Rapid Growth: Fort Bend’s rapid population surge requires managing suburban sprawl, housing affordability, and infrastructure needs without driving out long-time residents.
- Navigating Political Polarization: Leading a politically diverse electorate demands finding common ground across different ideologies without compromising on equity and progress.
A Legacy born of struggle and reconstruction
To grasp the magnitude of McCoy’s election, one must first look back at the origins of Fort Bend County. Settled in the early 1820s by Stephen F. Austin’s “Old Three Hundred” along a bend of the Brazos River, the region quickly developed a thriving agricultural economy.
However, that early prosperity in Richmond, Sugar Land, and across the fertile bottomlands was powered by the labor of enslaved African Americans. By 1860, the enslaved Black population in Fort Bend County was more than double the white population, sustaining massive cotton plantations and the sugarcane fields that would later give rise to the Imperial Sugar industrial complex.
Following the Civil War, the era of Reconstruction brought a brief period of remarkable political empowerment for Black residents. African American trailblazers stepped into public leadership, including Walter Burton—who served as Sheriff and Tax Collector before becoming a Texas State Senator—alongside Justice of the Peace Shade Croome and County Commissioner Tom Taylor.
During this period, freed Black Texans also built independent, self-governing “Freedom Colonies” such as Kendleton, which was incorporated in 1884. In these sanctuaries, Black families established their own churches, schools, and civic institutions, laying down deep roots of self-determination despite intense hostility.
Overcoming the shadow of disenfranchisement
That progress was violently disrupted. The post-Reconstruction era saw political and racial animosity erupt into the Jaybird–Woodpecker War, a feud between the disenfranchised white political elite (Jaybirds) and the coalition of Reconstruction officials and Black voters (Woodpeckers). The conflict culminated in an August 1889 courthouse gunfight in Richmond.
The victorious white-supremacist Jaybird Party seized absolute control of county politics, establishing a “white-only pre-primary” that effectively stripped Black citizens of their voting rights. For over six decades, until federal courts struck down the white primary in 1950, Black residents were systematically shut out of local governance.
Against this historical backdrop, McCoy taking the oath as County Judge is a direct answer to decades of voter suppression and exclusion. It honors the courage of post-Civil War leaders and the builders of Freedom Colonies who fought to prove that Black residents were not just spectators in Fort Bend, but its rightful leaders.
Ultimately, McCoy’s election signals a new era for Fort Bend County. It marks the transition from a past defined by racial disenfranchisement to a future where representation reflects the true richness of the community. For Black residents, his victory is a long-overdue fulfillment of the promise of political equity—a testament to resilience across generations.
