Twenty-Five Czech Texans Started the SPJST in a La Grange Courtroom

On December 28, 1896, 25 Czech Texans gathered in the district courtroom of the Fayette County courthouse. By the end of the meeting, they had established the Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas, better known as the SPJST.

It was a fraternal benefit insurance society. Insurance and fellowship belonged to the same organization, giving Czech Texans a formal way to look after shared interests as their communities grew.

The founders returned to the same courtroom for the SPJST's opening convention on June 20, 1897. I. J. Gallia served as president, J. R. Kubena as secretary, and the society officially began business on July 1.

An 18-by-28-inch marker now stands at the southwest corner of the courthouse square. The marker is small, but it points back to a courtroom where ordinary county business briefly made space for a new Czech-Texan institution.