e.___After
becoming the first African American incorporated city
in Texas in 1915, the residents voted in 1928 to dissolve
their city in order to become a part of Houston, They
hoped that as Houston citizens, they might receive more
services such as paved roads and better plumbing. They
did not receive all that they had hoped for. Like most
African American neighborhoods, Independence Heights
did not receive an equal share of city services. Residents
possess vivid recollections of the difficulties, even
into the 1950s, of traveling that area’s unpaved streets
after one of Houston’s frequent rainstorms. Independence
Heights’ residents faced racism and coped with segregation
on a daily basis, as reflected in their stories.
e.__
Maps
of Houston’s Independence Heights Historic Districts
e.___In
the last thirty years, the Independence Heights neighborhood
has experienced a decline, and the neighborhood’s individual
identity and past were being lost. With the arrival
of integration, families who had the money and desire
to do so have moved into more affluent and racially
diverse areas. As a result, this historic black community
has lost many influential residents as well as black
businesses.
e.___Currently,
a welcome move toward revitalization is emerging across
Houston. African Americans and others are moving back
into historically black neighborhoods such as Independence
Heights, restoring older homes, and rediscovering the
neighborhood’s rich history, while at the same time,
rebuilding for the future.