HOUSTON, TX — In a bold and visionary move that could help reframe the conversation around slavery, reparations, and justice in America, Houston’s own powerhouse law firm Roberts Markland LLP has donated $100,000 to fund the Juneteenth Remuneration Study at Texas Southern University (TSU). The initiative—anchored at TSU’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law and Jesse H. Jones School of Business—aims to assess the legal and economic impact of the failure to emancipate enslaved Texans for more than two years following the Emancipation Proclamation.

"This gift aims to reposition Juneteenth as a model for how we reconcile the national conversation around slavery and its ongoing impact," said Sean Roberts, partner at Roberts Markland LLP. “These are all calculable questions, and the students at TSU are uniquely qualified to perform these calculations.”

 Roberts Markland LLP’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law Alumni
 

Turning Commemoration Into Accountability

While Juneteenth has gained national recognition as a federal holiday, this new study goes beyond celebration. It seeks answers. How much was stolen from the enslaved people of Texas between January 1, 1863, and June 19, 1865? Who profited from it? And what would accountability look like today?

The dual-track study will combine legal analysis and economic modeling to determine:

The number of people enslaved during the delayed emancipation period

The value of their stolen labor across industries

The profits reaped by businesses and plantation owners

Legal frameworks to explore remuneration and redress

“This is not just about history,” said Hon. Vanessa D. Gilmore (USDJ Ret.), Of Counsel to Roberts Markland LLP. “It’s about how the past continues to shape economic realities today—especially for Black Texans who were never compensated for their ancestors' labor.” 

A Study With Teeth—Not Just Talk

Unlike symbolic studies of the past, the Juneteenth Remuneration Study and Symposium is grounded in measurable, actionable data. From cotton production to cooking, sex work to accounting, the range of unpaid labor contributed by enslaved people will be researched, documented, and assigned fair market value by TSU’s faculty and students.

“Texans deserve to know who benefited from this system and how much free labor was stolen,” added Judge Gilmore. “Only then can we begin to reconcile, repair, and move forward.”

The study will also tackle questions surrounding:

Heirship laws affecting children born to enslaved women

Statutes of limitations on financial claims

Historical county-level population and labor mapping

Texas’s cotton-based wealth surge in the late 19th century

A Legacy of Leadership at Texas Southern University

Texas Southern University, an HBCU rooted in the heart of Houston’s Third Ward, is uniquely equipped for this work. Its alumni include civil rights trailblazers like Congresswoman Barbara Jordan and Judge Kenneth Hoyt, and its business and law schools are national leaders in equity-focused education.

“We are pleased to accept this gift from Roberts Markland LLP,” said Dr. Carl B. Goodman, TSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. “This study will provide an exceptional opportunity for academic rigor, personal growth, and public impact.” 

From Tulsa to Texas: A New Model for Reparations

Recent examples like the $105 million Tulsa reparations fund and Georgetown University’s $27 million commitment to descendants of the enslaved show a growing appetite for financial justice. But the Juneteenth Remuneration Study is the first of its kind in Texas—and one of the first in the nation to be led entirely by a historically Black university.

“This is not about division. It’s about data. It’s about facts. It’s about fairness,” said Clive Markland, name partner of the firm. “In a nation that cannot afford to leave its Black citizens behind, this study offers a chance to move forward with purpose, policy, and pride.” 

Looking Ahead: Symposium, Publication, and Policy

The study will culminate in a public symposium at TSU where students and faculty will present their findings to lawmakers, scholars, and the general public. Following the event, a detailed report will be published and distributed nationwide to inform policy, advocacy, and future claims.

Topics to be covered include:

Historical labor value calculations

Business profits generated by enslaved labor

Legal feasibility of reparations in Texas

Public policy recommendations for the state and beyond

 About Roberts Markland LLP

With over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements, Roberts Markland LLP is one of Houston’s most impactful law firms, specializing in catastrophic injury, wrongful death, civil rights, and business litigation. But it’s their community-driven mission that truly sets them apart. From Third Ward to Fifth Circuit, Roberts Markland is writing a new chapter for justice—one that’s as bold as Texas itself.

Learn more: www.robertsmarkland.com