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‘Forgotten Black Towns of Houston’: Viral series sheds light on historic communities of color across the city
Read full article: ‘Forgotten Black Towns of Houston’: Viral series sheds light on historic communities of color across the cityHouston is rich in Black culture and one local influencer is making sure its historic sites built by influential African Americans are not forgotten.
New veterans memorial, tribute for 95 people, Periwinkle Camp celebrates 40 years, and more on Houston Newsmakers
Read full article: New veterans memorial, tribute for 95 people, Periwinkle Camp celebrates 40 years, and more on Houston NewsmakersA dedication ceremony will be held in May for the new Houston Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Houston Newsmakers: The cruel tragedy of the Sugar Land 95
Read full article: Houston Newsmakers: The cruel tragedy of the Sugar Land 95The Sugar Land 95, as they have come to be known represent 94 men and one woman found in unmarked graves as a Fort Bend ISD School was under construction. Ad“They won’t cut off your electricity if your power provider goes out of business,” she said. Harris County Attorney to investigate ERCOTThe failure of the state’s power grid has spurred investigations into what went wrong. Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee says his office will also investigate. “Harris County is the 3rd most populous county in the country, more populous than 25 States,” he said.
3 years after discovery of Sugar Land 95, debate on how best to tell their story continues
Read full article: 3 years after discovery of Sugar Land 95, debate on how best to tell their story continuesSUGAR LAND, Texas – February marks three years since the first human remains were discovered at the construction site of a new Fort Bend Independent School District school. Over the course of several months, 95 unmarked graves were found and the people buried there would become known as the Sugar Land 95. The laws changed and now we’re able to maintain it.”AdOverall, Dupre praised the handling of the discovery. He said the district is erasing history by not using names of any of the men involved in establishing convict leasing in Sugar Land. ‘Nothing ... done in good faith’Three years later, some have said that the district is still ignoring the wishes of community stakeholders.
New Sugar Land 95 report includes a roster of 72 forced laborers likely buried in the unmarked graves
Read full article: New Sugar Land 95 report includes a roster of 72 forced laborers likely buried in the unmarked gravesSUGAR LAND, Texas About 2.5 years after workers stumbled upon the first skeletal remains during construction of a Fort Bend Independent School District Career and Technical Center, the school district published a 500-page report honoring the Sugar Land 95.Its not speculation, its archeology, a true historical report that documents all of this, said Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre. RELATED: Sugar Land 95 reburied, public memorial planned for springThe report includes a roster of 72 African American men who worked and died on Bullhead Convict Labor Camp in the late 1890s and early 1900s, part of a horrific and state-sanctioned prison labor system, who were likely buried in some of the 95 unmarked graves. The roster includes William Crawford, who records suggest was a 21-year-old married man accused of forgery and was gunned down trying to escape the prison camp. Researchers have secured funding for the first batch of DNA extractions, officials wrote on the Fort Bend ISD website. Additional funding will be needed to fund the remaining DNA extractions, analysis, comparisons to existing databases, public outreach, and genealogical studies.Read more here.
‘Sugar Land 95’ reburied, public memorial planned for spring
Read full article: ‘Sugar Land 95’ reburied, public memorial planned for springSUGAR LAND, Texas – A public memorial is scheduled for this spring for the so-called “Sugar Land 95” who were recently reburied in the Houston area. The “Sugar Land 95” as they have become called, are believed to be African American slaves who were forced to work as part of the Texas Convict Lease System in the late 1800s. Their remains were unearthed in February 2018 during the construction of a Fort Bend Independent School District high school. The symposium addressed the continuing research that is underway, including genealogical and genetic research that could take three to four years to complete. Fort Bend ISD also pointed to this website for more information.