Texas' Historical Milestones On This Day June 12th

In 1886, James Farmer was born. He was a black man who went on to become the first person to hold a Ph.D. in Texas. Farmer taught at Huston-Tillotson College, and served as a pastor in Texarkana and Galveston.

In 1901, Karnes County sheriff W.T Morris was killed by Gregorio Lira Cortez. The misunderstandings that followed his death led to Cortez being seen as a folk hero by many Hispanics and some Anglos.

In 1967, Thomas Campbell Clark became the first texan to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.

In 1969, El Paso County gave Hueco Tanks to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The 860-acre Hueco Tanks State Historical Park was eventually opened in May of 1970 to the public.

In 2011, the Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA Championship. They defeated the Miami Heat 4 games to 2.

In 2014, Yu Darvish of the Texas Rangers threw his first complete-game shutout. The Rangers beat the Florida Marlins 6-0.

"I'm from Texas, and one of the reasons I like Texas is because there's no one in control." - Willie Nelson