HPL News

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Houston Public Library (HPL) is hosting “Big Feelings: Controlling the Center,” a family program designed to promote emotional well-being and mindfulness. With a variety of workshops and activities, this program aims to provide tools to navigate stress, anxiety, and challenges in everyday life.  

Featured Sessions Include: 

     • Parenting Styles with Crystal Collier – Learn about different parenting approaches and how they impact children’s emotional development. 
     • Dance it Out Dance Party – Movement-based stress relief for children, combining music and dance to promote emotional expression. 
     • Storytime with Therapy Dogs – Calming reading experience where young readers and their parents can interact with gentle therapy dogs. 
     • Creating Comfort Bags – Hands-on activity where tweens will fill a goody bag with items that help alleviate stress in challenging moments. 
     • Yoga for Tweens with Juju Faragher – Beginner-friendly yoga session designed to help tweens develop mindfulness and relaxation techniques. 
     • Anxiety Unplugged: Coping Skills for a Calmer You – Discussion-led session focusing on practical strategies to manage anxiety in daily life. 
     • Healing Art with Rose Tylinski – Hands-on activity that encourages creative expression for emotional healing. 

This free event takes place at McGovern-Stella Link Regional Library on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 2 p.m. To register, please visit HPL’s event calendar.

We’re proud to share that the Houston Chronicle is shining a spotlight on the Houston Public Library and the incredible value of a MYLink library card in a feature article titled “3D printers, music studios and more: A Houston library card offers more than books.”

The article also celebrates our historic and cultural collections, from African American history at the Gregory School, to family genealogy at Clayton, and Houston/Texas history preserved at Julia Ideson. These spaces not only preserve the past but empower our patrons to explore their roots with guidance from on-site archivists.

And it doesn’t stop there—cardholders also gain access to top-tier digital learning and research tools, including:

If you don't already have a MYLink library card, there's never a better time to sign up!

Read the full article on the Houston Chronicle website: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/houston-library-card-20337275.php

Sheena Wilson, Manager of the African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus, appeared on CW39's H-Town Live this week to discuss HPL's fourth annual George Floyd Memorial Lecture.  You can watch it here.

Annual initiative encouraging children, teens, and families to explore stories, creativity, and culture through reading and events.

Houston – Houston Public Library (HPL) is excited to announce that registration is open for its annual Summer Reading Program (SRP)! This year’s theme, Color Our World, invites readers of all ages—kids, tweens, teens, and adults—to celebrate creativity, imagination, and the joy of reading.  

The program runs from June 1 to July 31, but now is the perfect time to sign up and get ready. Children under four years will track the number of books read, while all other participants will log their reading minutes throughout the summer.

In addition to reading, participants can earn rewards by attending a variety of HPL events, including author visits, performances, storytimes, live animal visits, art classes and more. Tweens and teens are encouraged to enter the Get Graphic: Comic Creation Contest launching July 1, where they can submit original comics featuring their own characters and stories.

“We are encouraging Houstonians to begin their summer adventure with books, creativity, and fun. This year, we’re aiming for a 10% increase in both participation and completion, as we continue to inspire a love of reading across our community,” said Sandy Gaw, Library Director.

Thanks to the generosity of CYCLE Houston, which has donated 34 bikes for the SRP grand prize winners (ages 7-9), the winner at each location will receive a bike.

“CYCLE is honored and excited to partner with Houston Public Libraries this summer to help encourage students to keep reading and avoid summer learning loss. We cannot wait to see the summer reading challenge winners' happy faces when they receive their bicycles! CYCLE is committed to improving literacy in Houston, specifically for second-grade students, as it is a crucial year for learning to read," said Rebecca Roberts, Executive Director of CYCLE.

To learn more about the program, please visit the website or any HPL location. For more details and to sign up, visit https://houstonlibrary.org/srp.

About Houston Public Library  

We are a dynamic public service organization serving one of the largest and most diverse areas in the nation—both in population and geography. Our comprehensive, customer-focused service delivery strategy supports the 2.3 million residents of the City of Houston.

Our system is comprised of 44 public service units, including six Regional Libraries—anchored by our flagship Central Library—28 Neighborhood and Express Libraries, three History Research Centers, four TECHLink centers, a Satellite location at the Children’s Museum Houston, the Mobile Express outreach unit, and the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy. Together, we provide equitable access to resources, technology, and lifelong learning opportunities for all Houstonians.

About CYCLE

CYCLE is a children’s charity committed to improving literacy among children in grades K-3 in Title I schools of the Greater Houston area. The organization does this by rewarding students with brand-new bicycles after they achieve defined academic goals, teaching the important lesson that hard work and dedication really do pay off. CYCLE believes that this places children on the path to a brighter future.

Contact:
LaDonna Weems
Deputy Assistant Director, Communications
Office: 832.393.1476
LaDonna.Weems@houstontx.gov 

HOUSTON, TX - Houston Public Library (HPL) presents a series of cultural programs that celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month and honor the legacy of George Floyd. We’re inviting the community to reflect on HPL’s continued commitment to inclusion, education, and community dialogue. 

Celebrations in May include: 

• Experience the Flavors of India with Chef Anita Jaisinghani: Watch as she prepares a signature dish reflecting India’s rich cultural heritage. 
  Wednesday, May 21 | 6 – 7 p.m. 
  Looscan Neighborhood Library 
  2510 Willowick Rd., Houston, 77027
   
• George Floyd Memorial Lecture: Guest speaker Dr. Melanye Price will explore how the Black community has consistently come together in the face of adversity to create a vibrant and thriving culture. 
  Thursday, May 22 | Noon – 2 p.m. 
  African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus
  1300 Victor St., Houston, 77019 
   
• Arts of Asia Exhibit: Features winning garments from the eighth annual Fashion Fusion competition, designed by Houston Community College fashion students and alumni, inspired by the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s collections of Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and Korean art.  
  On display through July 31 
  Central Library 
  500 McKinney St., Houston, 77002 

All events are free and open to the public. Don’t forget to visit HPL’s events calendar to check out what's happening at neighborhood libraries across Houston! 

HPL's Ana Frade was a guest on Univision and had a chance to speak about our Summer Reading program! You can watch it here. 

HPL's Senior Prom events were featured in three different news sources recently: Houston Style Magazine, Bereavision TV, and CNN Regional. 

WHAT: Players from the United Football League's Houston Roughnecks will read from their favorite children’s books, share stories, and inspire young readers with a special family storytime. 

WHEN: Friday, May 2, 2025, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

WHERE: HPL's Smith Neighborhood Library; 3624 Scott St., 77004.

MORE INFORMATION: Attendees are strongly encouraged to register online on the HPL website, as space is limited. 

Houston Public Library invites families, readers, and book lovers of all ages to Step into Storybooks: A Journey into Literacy & Imagination—a free, interactive event designed to ignite a passion for reading and celebrate the magic of storytelling. 

Join us on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 2 PM - 4 PM at the Carnegie Neighborhood Library (1050 Quitman St, Houston, TX 77009), for an event featuring a range of engaging activities, beginning with an author talk by New York Times bestselling author Varsha Bajaj, who will share her journey and insights into writing for young readers. 

A highlight of the event will be a bilingual storytime led by Houston Public Library Director Sandy Gaw, showcasing her dedication to literacy, diversity, and community engagement. This unique storytime experience promises to delight readers of all ages and inspire a lifelong love of books. 

The event will conclude with a vibrant tabla performance by the Indian Music Society of Houston, offering attendees a rhythmic and cultural experience to remember. 

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. 
 

In this issue: The Voices of Gregory: John Hightower; Volunteer Spotlight: Andrea Estrada; Preserving the Black Press

The Voices of Gregory: John Hightower  

by Aleah Parsons, MLIS | Archivist II/Oral History Archivist

Here at the African American History Research Center (AAHRC), we prioritize conducting oral histories with alumni who remember the school and the community of Fourth Ward during the 20th Century. The following is a recollection of John Hightower’s experience at the Gregory School.  

A New Start in Houston & Attending the Gregory School 

John Hightower was born in 1937 in Huntsville, Texas, to David and Daisy Hightower. John spent the first few years of his life living on his grandparents’ farm in Huntsville. He remembers fondly swimming in water holes, riding his horse, playing with his dog and just being a boy. All of that changed when John moved with his family to Houston, Texas, around 1940.  

He and his family moved to Fourth Ward and lived on Shaw Street next to Antioch Baptist Church. About a year later John began attending the Gregory School. Because of his schooling in Huntsville, John was far ahead of the other students in his class and often felt bored in school. At the Gregory School, Principal Butte, known as a strict disciplinarian to all students, decided to skip John from the fourth to the fifth grade. Shortly after, he was skipped to the sixth grade, but this was not enough for John, who had his own dreams of attending Booker T. Washington High School in Houston and playing basketball. John pretended to be his father and successfully enrolled himself into Booker T. Washington to achieve his dream. Sadly, after a couple of days, his mother found out and made him go back to the Gregory School. John recalls being afraid to return to the Gregory School believing that Principal Butte would punish him for leaving. However, Principal Butte was merciful towards John and promised to keep him busy for the rest of his time at the Gregory School.  

In 1950, John successfully graduated from the Gregory School and went on to achieve his dream of attending Booker T. Washington and playing basketball, which he was very good at. 

To learn more about other Gregory School Alumni check out our oral history collection Houston Oral History Project - Gregory School Interviews - Houston Public Library Digital Archives (oclc.org) on the Houston Public Library Digital Archives and stay tuned for the publishing of John Hightower’s oral history.

Volunteer Spotlight: Andrea Estrada

I’m Andrea Estrada and I’ve been a volunteer with the AAHRC for about a year and a half. I’m a history and general science studies student at Austin Community College. I’m a born and raised Houstonian, and I grew up visiting HPL’s libraries as often as I could, leaving with an armful of books. I plan on attending the University of North Texas this fall to finish my bachelor’s degree in information science, and hopefully I will complete my MLIS to continue to work in archives.  Outside of school and my volunteer work, I love to travel to U.S. National Parks (I’ve visited 15 of the 64 parks so far!), cross-stitch, play Dungeons and Dragons with my friends, and read.  

Volunteer Work at the AAHRC: 
I’ve worked on a wide array of projects and collections during my time at AAHRC. Some of my favorites include writing metadata for oral histories of local community figures, transcribing correspondence written during World War II between Clifford and Hortense Smith, and inventorying a collection donated by the Houston branch of The Links, Inc., which included photos of Links members with U.S. Representative Mickey Leland. I’ve also helped organize and inventory funeral programs of local community members as well as cassettes and CDs with sermons recorded at Trinity United Methodist Church.  

I’m currently processing a collection of works donated by Dr. Michael Botson that he used to write his book Labor, Civil Rights, and The Hughes Tool Company. The contents of the collection include handwritten notes, photos, and recorded interviews with retirees from the Hughes Tool Company who fought against unfair wage scales based on race. Although I’ve never processed a collection by myself, the archivists here at AAHRC have been very helpful and patient, giving me guidance and experience that I wouldn’t ordinarily have until at least a couple of years down the line in my academic career.  

In between my projects, I also enjoy walking around the reading room and browsing the books, wishing I could check them out. Through my time here, I’ve been able to learn so much more about Houston’s African American history while also acquiring skills and general archives knowledge that I will be able to apply in my future studies and career. It has been such a rewarding experience to volunteer at AAHRC and I encourage anyone with time and an interest in history and public service to volunteer as well!

Preserving the Black Press

by Sheena Wilson | Manager

Newspapers are an invaluable primary resource that document the rich, multifaceted history of communities across the world. These publications have chronicled pivotal moments of both success and struggle in the daily lives of Black communities globally. Local Houston newspapers, such as the Houston Informer, Houston Defender, Houston Forward Times, and the Negro Labor News among others, have provided essential voices to the community, offering perspectives often omitted from mainstream media. 

While the need for access to historical newspapers is clear, preserving physical copies poses significant challenges. Over time, the naturally acidic nature of paper causes it to deteriorate when exposed to fluctuating environmental factors like humidity, light, and temperature. Limited storage space and financial constraints further hinder efforts to properly archive and maintain these historical documents.  To ensure these records remain publicly accessible, we have undertaken a newspaper digitization project in recent years to tackle these preservation challenges. By converting microform and physical newspapers into digital formats, we aim to ensure their longevity, increase user-friendliness, and enable continued use for future generations. Most importantly, the digitized papers will be searchable, making them a more valuable tool for researchers. 

Houston Forward Times  
The Houston Forward Times stands as the largest Black-owned and independently operated newspaper in Houston and the American South. Launched in 1960 by Julius Carter, this weekly publication focuses on stories relevant to Houston's Black community, departing from the national scope of most newspapers to provide a narrative that reflects the interests of its local readership.

The Houston Forward Times digitization project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Grant # LS-252486-OLS-22). * (2023) and Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Grant # LS-256843-OLS-24). * 2024

Read digital issues of the Houston Forward Times: https://cdm17006.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17006coll12/search

The Houston Informer  
The Houston Informer, established in 1919 by C.F. Richardson Sr., was a prominent weekly newspaper that gave voice to the Black community in Houston and across the state. The Informer frequently published content addressing issues of importance to the community, including discriminatory voting practices and education. In later years, the Houston Informer merged with the Texas Freeman, becoming the Informer and Texas Freeman, before eventually being renamed simply as the Informer. A smaller-scale project is underway to digitize and upload this periodical online.  

Read digital issues of The Houston Informer:

https://cdm17006.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17006coll183/search

Browse a list of historical African American newspapers available at the research center from cities in Texas and Louisiana:

https://houstonlibrary.org/ld.php?content_id=66825685

Request a Speaker

Are you interested in deepening your understanding of Houston’s African American history? The African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus offers a wealth of resources to support your research and learning. We provide both virtual and in-person workshops and presentations that delve into our extensive archives and research materials.

If you would like to request a speaker for your event or learn more about our outreach offerings, email us at hpl.gregoryschool@houstontx.gov.

Sign up to receive our other HRC eNewsletters!