Walter Frank Cotton was born December 27, 1892 in Limestone County, Texas. The Cotton family had been slaves on the Stroud Plantation six miles west of Mexia in Limestone County for several generations. Walter picked cotton, served in WWI, and worked as a railroad mail sorter until he began his long career as an educator. Mr. Cotton taught history and eventually became principal of Mexia's Woodland School for the district's African American students.

Mr. Cotton began painting in the late 1930s after he saw paintings in a Catholic Church in Chicago that impressed him. He created paintings for his Church and historic paintings for his school. Mr. Cotton also wrote two books on local African American history, History of the Negroes of Limestone County from 1860 to 1939 and Missing Links. He illustrated the books with his own drawings and paintings.

Walter Cotton's total body of work, totaling less than 30, was exhibited at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 1970. Outside of the exhibition at SMU and occasional exhibits of his paintings in Limestone County, Cotton's work had remained relatively unknown until it was brought to the attention of Webb Gallery this year.

Walter Cotton's largest painting Reading the Emancipation Proclamation on the Governeur Stroud Plantation, June 19, 1865 is included in "Spirited Jouneys" a traveling exhibit of 39 Texas Self Taught artists organized by the University of Texas.

Mr. Cotton had to quit painting in 1969 due to his failing health. He died in Mexia July 25, 1978 at the ages of 85, leaving a body ofwork which fulfilled his desire to preserve history. He addressed this concern eloquently years before in a letter to the Mexia newspaper: "To look backwards and marvel at the progress made is altogether fitting and proper. And we should remember, since remembrance is the only paradise out of which we cannot be driven...."