History
Updated November 26, 2010
Please note: The Gregory Library is located in the Freedman’s Town Historic District, which is in Fourth Ward, Houston, Texas.
This page will constantly be under construction as we work to make all our research available on the web.
We will use this page to show some of the more recent 20th century history of Freedman’s Town / Fourth Ward that the Gregory Library does not exhibit and / or want anyone to know about. Also read the separate page for Allen Parkway Village which concerns a major important historical event in the Fourth Ward the Gregory library does not want anyone to learn or know about.
Scholarly Research:
Fourth Ward Overview Cite Winter 1984 Rice University published the magazine Cite. This article is a good place to begin learning about Fourth Ward.
Master’s thesis: Enduring History: The Struggle to Control the Future of Houston’s Oldest African American Neighborhood. Kristen M. Harol did a great job on her thesis which she finished in May, 1999 at the University of Chicago. Read her Enduring History thesis.
The Power of a Name A piece about the origins of how it came to be called Freedman’s Town.
Urban Archeology and Pressures of Gentrification Current issues around ethnic cleansing, politely known as “gentrification.”
Mainstream media articles:
Some relatively recen articles about Freedman’s Town that will help provide some historic context to the current issue about Gregory Library.
Bob Lanier promises re 4th Ward HouChron 10.17.1993
The Great Land Grab HouPress 1.30.97
Fourth Ward of Bust HouPress 7.31.97
Hello Columbus _ Mayor hand 4th Ward to Developer? HouPress 11.13.97
No Shame 4th Ward Evictions HouPress 2.12.98
Historic Houston Neighborhood Falls to Renewal NYTimes 3.15.1998
No Account secrecy in housing program 7.16.98
Fatal Illness Claims Renaissance HouPress 2.25.99
On Borrowed Time HouPress 9.10.98
Broken Promises HouPress 10.28.99
Placed in the Discard – Too Poor for Public Housing HouPress 10.28.99
Slow Turning Year Since HouRen Gave up Control HouPress 1.13.00
Doug\’s Deals HouHousingFinance land grabs HouPress 1.20.00
Neighborhood eyesores HouChron 8.22.2002
Fourth Ward Road to Renewal HouChron 2.13.2005
Mayor White 4th Ward plans HouChron 12.6.2006
Houston Mayor Vows Improvments HouChron 12.7.2006
Ray of Hope in Fourth Ward 1.11.2007
A NEIGHBORHOOD IN FLUX HouChron 1.21.2007
Preservationists fight to save historic district AP 5.25.2008
St James UMC gets Historical Marker TexAnnCon 8.9.2010
Mount Carmel MBC gets marker HouExam 9.16.2010
Non-corporate media:
City destroys historic Gregory School building HouIndyMedia 10.24.2005
Freedmen\’s Town Activists Get Victory on Brick Streets HouIndyMedia 8.8.2007
Lenwood Johnson and Allen Parkway Village HouIndyMedia 10.3.2009
TV clips:
Brick Streets Channel 2 August 7, 2007
Historic marker text, National Register properties, and City of Houston historic designations:
Here’s some basic history that anyone can see by taking a short walking tour through our neighborhood and reading a few markers. Click below to see PDF files of some historic marker text and some text from National Register of Historic places:
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church
Freedman’s Town 20th century development
Freedmen’s Town Historic District Natl Register
Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church
Rutherford B.H. Yates, Sr. House
St. James UMC Application for City historic designation
A few pictures of Historic Markers in Freedman’s Town
Lenwood Johnson and Ola Mae Kennedy
Mt. Carmel MBC marker located at 1407 Valentine Street.
The Allen brothers were land swindlers that founded Houston.
The other Allen brother who founded Houston. It's fun to read the sanitized version of history!
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About
We are a group of concerned activists living in Freedmen’s Town. Our mission is to ensure that the history of working class African Americans in the City of Houston and particularly in the Freedman’s Town Historic District, are represented in the Gregory Library.
Currently the Gregory prefers to sanitize history and include only a top down version. Their top down view omits the people’s history.
Collectively we have spent 80 years living and working in Freedman’s Town to protect and preserve the history, heritage and culture of African Americans. Together we have brought over $82 million dollars into Freedman’s Town.
As our campaign moves forward we will be posting more information concerning the activities of the decision makers at the Houston Public Library System and the manager of the Gregory Library.
To get involved, CONTACT US: gregorylibrarywatch (at ) gmail (dot) com or call Tim @ 832.771.7263
Gregory Library Watch 
Please send me information as the site is updated. Thank you.
Will do.