On February 16th, various important events occurred throughout history in Texas. In 1852, the Texas State government authorized the governor to negotiate with the federal government to create territory for Indian reservations in Texas. This decision had a lasting impact on the indigenous communities in the state.
In 1999, testimony began in the Jasper, TX trial of John William King, who was charged with the murder of James Byrd Jr. Byrd’s gruesome dragging death shocked the nation and led to an increased awareness of hate crimes in the United States. King was ultimately convicted and sentenced to death for his role in Byrd’s murder.
In 2004, a significant sports trade took place when baseball commissioner Bud Selig approved the swap of Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees in exchange for Alfonso Soriano. This trade had major implications for both teams and the players involved.