Assessing the state of women in Houston today reveals two things: Houston women are not as far along as they should be, but they are stronger and more determined than ever.
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Reverend James Novarro and La Marcha
Baptist minister James L. Novarro and fellow activists left Houston in the sweltering Texas heat in July of 1966, traveling several hours to Rio Grande City in Starr County, where they marched in soldarity with local farmworkers seeking a fair wage. These laborers galvanized national attention when they organized a strike followed by a march, […]
Deeper through the Decades, An Interview with Carl Wickizer
Edited by Joe Pratt The Offshore Technology Conference has been a central forum for sharing information on the extraordinary technical changes that have allowed the offshore industry to expand its operations into deeper waters and harsher environments. Much of the early development of deepwater technologies can be seen through the career of Carl Wickizer (1931-2007), […]
Letter from the Editor
What is Houston’s DNA? By Debbie Z. Harwell “Discover your ethnic origins,” find the “source of your greatness,” trace your “health, traits, and ancestry,” and “amaze yourself…find new relatives.” Ads proliferate from companies like AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage enticing us to learn more about who we really are. People who send a saliva sample for […]
Yolanda Black Navarro: East End Reina
by Denise Gomez A small red building stands out on Navigation Boulevard, luring customers inside with the mouthwatering scent of freshly cooked tortillas. Upon entering, the restaurant’s loyal customers see red and white walls decorated with honors and recognitions, one of Houston’s best menus, and, usually, a line. The family-owned restaurant Villa Arcos was […]
Gracie Saenz’s Life of Public Service
Although Houston is celebrated as one of the nation’s most diverse cities, it was largely segregated with little intersection across race and ethnicity into the mid-twentieth century. Mexicans and Mexican Americans settled initially in Second Ward, but, as their numbers grew, they moved into First, Sixth, and parts of Fifth Ward, as well as Magnolia […]
Olympians in Houston: Their Success Is Houston’s Success
In addition to their athletic feats, an Olympian’s post-Olympic endeavors offer a unique perspective for understanding the economic and cultural return on investment in local communities. Stories about the athletic careers of more than seventy former Olympians with ties to the Houston region reveal that, for many, their post-competitive lives immensely contributed to the development […]
Past, Present, and Future: The Women Shaping Houston’s Architecture
Architecture has helped cities create identities and given the citizens a sense of home. Few people can look at their skylines without having a sense of pride. The people who help shape these spaces often work in the background — especially women. With architecture being one of the last fields to integrate women into the […]
Seeing Houston From the Bottom Up: Using Archeology and Archives to Reconstruct a Forgotten Houston Neighborhood
By Jason W. Barrett, Douglas K. Boyd, and Louis F. Aulbach Houston is a dynamic city with an amazing history. The stories written about its past, however, generally focus on the important people and big events that transformed the wilderness along Buffalo Bayou into a modern metropolis. The Allen brothers, steamship and railroad commerce, […]
Nina Vance & the Alley Theatre
The Alley Theatre has gone through many stages since its creation by founder Nina Vance. This article covers the story about how today’s Alley Theatre came to be in its location on Texas Avenue and the influence that Nina Vance had on the design of the current building.