Because of the families of soldiers at the fort and African-American veterans and descendants who had settled here, during the war, the US government funded construction of a high school for black students, which opened in April 1944, so the children of veterans could be educated. The state of Texas was still racially segregated; it had essentially disenfranchised blacks since the early 20th century by its voter registration and electoral requirements, and the white legislature consistently underfunded black education and services. Officially classified as a four-year high school, it is believed to have been the only one of its kind between San Antonio and El Paso at that time.