Before it became a museum filled with dinosaur bones and science exhibits, the building that now houses the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land was known as Two Camp, a segregated dormitory built in 1937 for Black inmates during one of the darkest eras of Texas prison history.
Part of the Central State Prison Farm system, Two Camp was deeply tied to the legacy of convict leasing, a system designed to exploit newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. Men were arrested for petty or fabricated charges like vagrancy, loitering, or even “talking back” to a white person. Once convicted, they were sent to places like Sugar Land, where they were forced into brutal labor in fields and prison industries.
Inside Two Camp, conditions were harsh. Prisoners were often underfed, overworked, and lacked basic medical care. Many never made it out. While the now-infamous Sugar Land 95, a mass grave of Black inmates discovered nearby in 2018, was not located at Two Camp itself, it was part of the same system that exploited Black labor and treated prisoners as disposable.
After Two Camp closed in 1969, the building sat abandoned for years. It was later donated to the city and transformed into a museum, opening to the public in 2009. Today, it tells a very different story—one of science, learning, and community—but the echoes of its past still remain.
What many don’t know is that Powder, the 1995 sci-fi film, was largely filmed inside the building. Its abandoned, institutional halls provided the perfect backdrop. Over the years, it’s also drawn attention from paranormal investigators and history lovers alike.
One of the most notable inmates associated with the Central Unit in Sugar Land, Texas, was Huddie Ledbetter, better known by his stage name, Lead Belly. Lead Belly was an influential American folk and blues musician renowned for his powerful vocals and mastery of the twelve-string guitar. His repertoire included songs like “Goodnight, Irene,” “Midnight Special,” and “Boll Weevil.”
Lead Belly’s incarceration in Texas played a significant role in shaping his musical legacy. During his time in prison, he composed and performed songs that reflected the struggles and hopes of incarcerated individuals. His rendition of “Midnight Special,” for instance, became emblematic of the longing for freedom among prisoners. The song references a train whose light was believed to bring good luck and the possibility of release to those it shone upon.
Two Camp stands as a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come and how important it is to remember the stories of those who came before us. A place once defined by injustice now offers education, reflection, and the chance to learn from our past.
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