The community name of Germany originated from references to a German family that settled here. The first African Americans arrived in this area as slaves. Following the Civil War, a group of former slaves that included John Burt, George Smith, Lewis Hall, and Van and Jane Benton applied for and received land patents in the area. In 1883, the community constructed the New Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, which doubled as a school, and set aside land for a cemetery. The agricultural community of Germany has never been large, but the church remains active and hosts several social events throughout the year.

Watch the following video to learn more about Freedmen's Communities in Texas. This video was produced for inclusion in the African Americans in Texas mobile tour found in our Texas Time Travel Tours mobile app. For more information about the mobile tour and African American cultural heritage in Texas, visit the African American Heritage theme page at the following link: http://texastimetravel.com/travel-themes/main-african-american-heritage