Fifth Ward row houses
I have not yet been able to figure out with 100% certainty which Fifth Ward street this is. I would…
Snapshots
Black History
Business Directory
Abe and Pappy’s Ballroom
Abe and Pappy’s was a Houston nightclub known for its late-night shows heavily featuring big bands and dancers. A joint…
Houston's Freedmen
Mary Armstrong: A Freedwoman
Mary Armstrong, a formerly enslaved woman, was interviewed by the Works Projects Administration (WPA) at her Houston residence on August…
Houston's Freedmen
Sarah Ford: A Freedwoman
Preface This post is the first of a new category, “70 Years of Freedom,” which will consist of the first-hand…
Byrd Watching
Frenchtown: Where the gumbo was hot and the accents were thick
Frenchtown Origins On November 7, 1947, Sigman Byrd took his readers on a stroll to Frenchtown, a Creole-French neighborhood to…
Uncovering Houston
Elbert Terry: The Sunnyside American Dream
Duality Houston’s historic neighborhood of Sunnyside is notorious for being high in crime and severely impoverished. This is not untrue…
Uncovering Houston
A Celebration of Freedom on Lyons Avenue
I came across some wonderful photos of a Juneteenth parade in Houston that were undated and lacking locations. Considering this…
Houston's Freedmen Uncovering Houston
The Yates Family: A Testament to the Indomitable Spirit and Perseverance of the Formerly Enslaved
Beginnings in Bondage John Henry “Jack” Yates was born into slavery on July 11, 1828 to Robert and Rachel Yates,…