The Texas Association of Tonsorial Artist (T.A.O.T.A.) was founded by Henry Miller Morgan in 1937. It was charted under Texas law in 1962. Morgan was the first African-American to open a barber school exclusively for blacks to attend and receive formal training in the anatomy and barbering profession. Tyler Barber College was opened in Tyler Texas in 1934.
The TAOTA was founded on 4 core values:
- To raise the standards of the barbering profession, thus making ourselves become better respected as professional men and women.
- To promote educational skills among its members
- To defend ourselves the best of service and may share in the theories and experience of our community
- To raise both professional and civic status by utilizing the economics and political power, which unity will bring