By Adithi Nythruva The first Jack Yates band was formed five years after the school’s opening, led by Charles B. Johnson, who, besides being a practicing dentist, was an accomplished trumpet player who instilled jazz into the young players. Photo courtesy of Conrad O. Johnson Collection, African American Research Center, Houston Public Library. The year 2026 marks […]
By Ana C. Parker and A’Viyon Robinson From its founding in 1926, Jack Yates High School in Houston, Texas, has seen thousands of students enter its doors and walk its storied halls, going on to graduate in pursuit of vastly varied lives and careers. Of these graduates, many have gone on to be notable figures, while a host of other Yates alumni have distinguished themselves across the fields of entertainment, education, law, […]
by Don Looser The Houston Gargoyle publication was “fondly remembered for its enlivening of the local scene.” This cover is from vol. 3, no. 9, March 2, 1930. Photo courtesy of the Houston History Research Center, Digital Archives, Houston Public Library, bk0045-272b. Just a scant memory ago is the era when legendary journalist and television reporter Walter Cronkite began his career in 1932 as a high school club […]
By Jonas Leon Kaupert Members of the Houston Saengerbund host Oktoberfest at their new headquarters, located in the Houston Heights, in 2023. They spent time throughout their season practicing for the event, which celebrates their German heritage. Photo courtesy of the Houston Saengerbund. Houston ranks as one of the most diverse cities in the United […]
Here’s a fun fact: Teenagers have attended Charles H. Milby High School since before “teenagers” existed. It was not until the 1940s that Americans coined the term “teenager.” Just as Milby High School is part of the East End’s history, teen culture is part of Milby’s history.
The Spring 2024 issue of Houston History magazine reflects on ways in which we celebrate and preserve our history.
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 […]
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 […]
By Samantha de León Miller Outdoor Theatre during a summer symphony night. All photos courtesy of Miller Outdoor Theatre. In February 1969, forty-six years after Miller Outdoor Theatre opened and a year after moving into its new facility, Houston Chronicle fine arts editor Ann Holmes questioned what was next for the outdoor amphitheater. Nestled in […]
By Christine Starkman Pam Francis was born in Houston, Texas, in 1954 and passed away in 2020. She received her BFA in graphic design and photography from the College of Fine Arts at The Universityof Texas at Austin. Pam Francis Photographs will be the first retrospective exhibition organized at the Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston on the work of Pam Francis (1954 – 2020). On display September 29 to October 6, 2021, the exhibition will feature iconic artworks depicting her technical mastery of luminous lighting and […]
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