The beauty and dramatic personality of Johnny George, founder of Theatre, Inc., is captured in this portrait. From 1953 to 1966, Theatre, Inc. produced over fifty Broadway musicals utilizing volunteer Houston talent. Photo courtesy Don Looser.

Movers and Shakers: Houston Women in the Arts 

Women have played significant roles in the history of Houston’s cultural development. Some have had talent; some have had resources; some have had influence as powerful journalists or fundraisers. Among these women were Houston’s cultural impresario Edna Saunders and the formidable journalist Wille Hutcheson. Three other remarkable women, however, were historically strategic in shaping Houston’s […]

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Lydia Mendoza was well known for her talent singing and playing the baho sexto, alonge with her traditional Mexican dress, which endeared her to Mixicanos and Tejanos alike. Photo courtesy of the Lydia Mendoza Collection, Houston Public Library MSS0123-0016.

Musical Migrations

The soul of Houston has been shaped by the journeys of its people. One of the most ethnically diverse large cities in the United States, Houston reflects a mosaic of experiences from people all over the world. The path to this distinction began at the onset of the twentieth century, as the migrations of three […]

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The Fallen Angel dancers, directed by Patsy Swayze, perform at UH Frontier Fiesta in 1959. Photo courtesy of Houstonian, 1959, Digital Collections, University of Houston Libraries.

Patsy Swayze: Queen of Dance 

“It was a life-changing thing to meet her. It was like she had a magic bubble of enthusiasm around her, and you could not walk by without getting some of it on you,” said Judy Jones, a former student of Patsy Swayze. The two met after Jones won the Miss Houston Pageant in 1959, and […]

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10. Change

Capturing Diversity in Houston’s Near Northside

University of Houston Anthropology and World Cultures photography students enrolled in the Visual Stories class experienced the world of the historic Near Northside as they walked about the neighborhoods during the spring of 2023.   Impressed by the multi-layered history of the city, they looked for the firsts in the neighborhood. Although we could not see […]

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For the City

Houston History celebrates its twentieth anniversary with its fiftieth issue in the fall of 2023. The issue also marks the culmination of the three-year grant project: 100 Years of Stories – Documenting a Century at the University of Houston highlighting the way the university, its programs, and individuals have impacted the community.

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