J. Evetts Haley served as field secretary of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society from 1925 to 1929, and his work was critical to the development of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and the preservation of regional history. In the 1956 Texas gubernatorial primary, he ran vowing to continue segregation of public schools following the U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education. Those prejudices were abhorrent to West Texas A&M University, West Texans, and, judging by his unsuccessful run, to Texans of his era. West Texas A&M University affirms a commitment to the dignity of all persons that contributes to intellectual growth, understanding, and engaged citizenship in its communities.