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.
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.
In this issue: Learn about family history using HPL’s History Resource Center YouTube Channel playlists; Electronic resources we like: National Geographic Magazine Archive (1888-present).
Learn about family history using HPL’s History Resource Center YouTube Channel playlists
By Irene B. Walters
Almost every day we are asked at the library if there are classes or resources that people can use to learn more about how to research their family history. Happily, the short answer to this question is yes. Along with the live webinars that are offered by Clayton Library, there are many past webinars that have been recorded and are available on the Houston Public Library’s (HPL) channel on YouTube.
HPL’s YouTube Channel was first created in 2007. Videos offering similar content are grouped together in “playlists,” making it easy to find whatever interests you. Videos of webinars of help for those interested in genealogy can be found on the playlist for “HPL History Research Centers.” The videos presented by HPL’s Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus (FHRC or Clayton Library), mostly have a title beginning with the words “Clayton Library Presents,” or “HPL/HPL Resource Clayton Library.” We have produced more than twenty-four videos of interest to family history researchers under our YouTube umbrella. The videos cover records topics like census records, finding funeral records, and research methods for beginners. Research topics include Beginning Genealogy, Irish immigration, German resources, Native Americans, French, and African American history. There are also several how-to genealogy topics covered: “Family History Research,” “Researching Court Records,” “Thinking Like a Genealogist: Using Your Five Senses,” “Scrapbook Preservation,” and more. Most likely any family history researcher could find at least one video with valuable insights on a favorite topic.
The best way to experience the HPL History Research Centers’ YouTube channel is via a free subscription. Anyone with a YouTube profile (you have one if you have a Google account such as Gmail or Google Drive) can click on the Subscribe button on the channel homepage. The playlist can be found by clicking the Playlists heading and then scrolling through the Created Playlists. Clicking on the bell icon next to Subscribe on the channel homepage will enable a notification whenever a new HPL video is posted. Remember to watch this space, so you don’t miss out on great new content.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Houston Public Library YouTube Channel (2024 March 1). Houston Public Library’s YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@houstonlibrary
Electronic resources we like: National Geographic Magazine Archive (1888-present)
By Melissa Hayes & Irene B. Walters
For this issue, we’d like to highlight an electronic resource that should bring a touch of nostalgia to many of our customers or a possible new look at the world for others. It is the National Geographic Magazine Archive (1888-present). This database is found under subject headings of “Magazines, Scholarly Journals, & Publications,” Science, and “Travel & Geography” in the A-Z Databases research tab on the Houston Public Library website. The name reflects the content. It is a collection of the monthly issues of the National Geographic Magazine from 1888 to present. Yes, those same National Geographic Magazines with the yellow spine and border around the cover image that many of us had stacked up in our homes, or grandparents’ homes, and that we would see on the shelves of school or public libraries. The magazines that gave us glimpses of exotic places around the world long before the days of the internet and search engines. For those that didn’t grow up with it in your world, the National Geographic Magazine is an iconic magazine famous for its high-quality photojournalism covering cultures, nature, science, technology and the environment.
The database contains every issue of the original magazine from 1888 to today and the National Geographic Kids magazine. New issues are added after a minimum 45-day embargo period, so the current latest issue posted is from December 2024. Everything is searchable, text, photographs, maps, even the words in the advertisements. From the main page you can do a simple keyword search, browse the magazines, or click explore topics. The topics to explore are Animals, Environment, History, People and Cultures, Science and Technology, or Travel. There is also an advanced search option. With this option you can add your search terms, then limit the search to a particular date or range of dates, limit by document type, content type, or type of illustration in the article. Your search might bring up a full article or a news brief and or an entire magazine issue of that subject. For example, I searched DNA and found 40 featured articles, 89 Brief Articles, 3 Magazine Covers, and 42 Advertisements. I clicked on the 3 magazine covers and opened the cover page Entitled: What dogs tell us: The ABC’s of DNA. The article was in the February 2012 issue entitled: New Tricks from old dogs. It talks about genetics and studies made on or with dogs. Even though the broad search method of keyword searching for a place or event will probably be the most popular search, try the limiters too. You might be surprised at what you find.
You may ask yourself, “What is in a magazine that is not about the history of a specific place or people that will help me in my genealogy?” Well, you may find that searching the National Geographic Magazine for the places your ancestors lived may give you some nice background about their home city, state, or country. You can also find information about the wars that have taken place since the magazine’s founding in 1888. Browsing the issues can be enjoyable as well. It can be interesting to read what your 20th century relatives read without getting decades of dust all over you.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Houston Public Library. (2025 March 1). Houston Public Library A-Z Databases page https://houstonlibrary.org/az/databases?s=209037
National Geographic Magazine. (2025 March 1). National Geographic Magazine Archive (1888-present) [database on-line]. Gale, A Cengage Company https://go.gale.com/ps/start.do?p=NGMA&u=txshrpub100185
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03/06/2025
Tour the Julia Ideson Building
As one of the oldest buildings in downtown Houston, the Julia Ideson Building is a treasure trove of history and architectural beauty. In honor of Women's History Month, City of Houston’s HTV intern Vanessa Wilcox takes us inside this iconic building to explore its timeless charm and the remarkable story behind its name.
The building is named after Julia Ideson, the first librarian of the Houston Public Library, who served from 1903 to 1945. Julia Ideson was a trailblazer in her field, helping to expand library services to the community, particularly advocating for library access for underserved groups. Her legacy lives on not only in the building that bears her name but in the lasting impact she had on Houston's cultural and educational landscape.
During the tour, Vanessa hears from Shawn Kuehn, Special Events Manager at Houston Public Library, who shares insights into the history of the building, its stunning architecture, beautiful murals, and the critical role it has played in the community over the years.
The tour, captured and edited by Vanessa Wilcox, showcases the rich history of both the Julia Ideson Building and the legacy of women like Julia Ideson, who continue to inspire future generations. This Women’s History Month, it’s a perfect time to walk in and take a tour. The building is open to the public Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. So, come and reflect on how far we’ve come and the trailblazing women who paved the way.
Plan your visit today and experience the history and beauty of the Julia Ideson Building in person!
Shot and Edited by Vanessa Wilcox
02/04/2025
Houston Public Library (HPL) is excited to introduce a brand refresh for its History Research Centers (HRCs). These centers house a diverse, carefully curated collection that support a wide range of research interests—from African American history and genealogy to local Houston history and Hispanic heritage. Each center plays a vital role in making history accessible and engaging, offering expert staff and resources that are among the best in Texas. Together, these centers represent the pinnacle of historical research and preservation in Texas.
The New Logo: Symbolism and Meaning
At the core of each logo is the open book, a timeless symbol of knowledge, learning, and the preservation of history. The book represents the vast collection of stories, documents, and resources that form the foundation of the HRC’s.
Rising from the pages of the book is the tree, symbolizing growth, connection to the past, and the branching out of ideas. The tree’s roots are signified as an anchor in history, while its branches represent the exploration and development of new insights. This imagery underscores the intertwined relationship between the past and present.
Combined, the book and tree elements create a cohesive logo family that aligns with the mission of the History Research Centers—preserving, sharing, and exploring history while inviting others to engage with and contribute to the ongoing narrative.
"To further connect with a broader audience, a new logo family was designed for the History Research Centers. While the previous logo emphasized the historical significance of each site, the new design focuses on research and learning. By combining the symbolism of the book and the tree, we’re emphasizing the growth and discovery that our centers foster. This redesign is a visual representation of our commitment to preserving the past while inspiring future generations,” said LaDonna Weems, Deputy Assistant Director of Communications.
"As we continue to make history more accessible to our community, this new logo beautifully captures the essence of our work. We are excited to share this new chapter with our visitors and look forward to welcoming even more people to explore our collections," said Miguell Ceasar, Senior Manager of History Research Centers.
Local civil rights icon and founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church Reverend William "Bill" Lawson passed away on May 14, 2024, leaving a rich and celebrated legacy. If you would like to learn more about Reverend Lawson, HPL Digital Archives offer some fascinating primary sources.
Our Audiovisual Archives contain two interviews with Reverend Lawson: one originally recorded in 1974, and a second interview from 2008 (from the Mayor Bill White Oral History Collection) which was also videotaped. These two interviews provide a fascinating historical perspective on his work and life in Houston during the years of the Civil Rights Movement.
Reverend Lawson, Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza and Rabbi Samuel Karff were known as the "Three Amigos" or "Three Wise Men" for their decades-long friendship and interfaith activism in favor of human rights and the betterment of life for all Houstonians. Archbishop Fiorenza and Rabbi Karff were also interviewed in 2008 and 2007 respectively as part of the Mayor White Oral History Collection.
In December 2015, Reverend Lawson was predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Mrs. Audrey Ann Hoffman Lawson. Mrs. Lawson's funeral program is part of HPL Digital Archives' African American Funeral Program collection and provides a unique perspective into her career as an activist in her own right, and the love and family that she and Reverend Lawson shared.
The Lawson Collection, or “Lawson Letters,” not only document Reverend William and Mrs. Audrey Hoffman Lawson’s young adulthood and courtship, they also were the primary means of courtship. Beginning in September 1952, young Bill and Audrey exchanged letters for months before ever meeting in person, and what began as a friendly dialogue blossomed into love during the next two years of correspondence. Later in life, Reverend and Mrs. Lawson made their letters available to HPL for digitization. They are available online, an indispensable resource for historians—and anyone who appreciates a great love story!
Heightened community interest and support in what will become the next History Research Center is the subject of a Houston Landing story. Read more to understand the investment and development of what is slated to be "the first of its kind for a city that's home to more than 2.3 million Latino or Hispanic residents..." in 2026, according to Assistant Director of Spaces John Middleton.
African American History Research Center (AAHRC) staff talked to American Libraries Magazine for a feature story on oral history projects, and they had the opportunity to highlight interviews included in the HPL Digital Archives.
From the article:
Collection highlights include stories about a 1963 visit that President John F. Kennedy made to the city, Latino and Latina veterans of World War II, and alumni of the Gregory School, the city’s first public school for Black children, which opened in 1872. The Gregory School interviews, which feature students who graduated from the school between the 1920s and 1960s, are among AAHRC Manager Miguell Ceasar’s favorite, because the former school has become home to the center.
“They were thriving, and they were learning, and they were proud people,” says Ceasar. “It’s a great oral history to listen to, especially for our site.”
11/07/2023
Houston History Research Center Manager Letrice Davis was interviewed by Mister McKinney and Heidi Vaughan for the Houston Hour radio show on KPFT 90.1 Friday, October 27.
The interview is archived on the KPFT web page—to listen, just go to the Archives Page and scroll down to the Friday, October 27 entry for The Houston Hour. The interview begins around the 32 minute mark.
Adrienne Cain Darough started her library career at HPL's Houston History Research Center and African American History Research Center and went on to lead (and teach) as the Assistant Director for Baylor University’s Institute for Oral History. She's featured in this fascinating article by Susan Bean Aycock in Wacoan: Waco's Magazine – read it to find out more about her work and why oral historians do what they do.