Priscilla T Graham

Historic Freedmen's Town, Fourth Ward is a living laboratory of African American History and Life. The Historic 5 square mile District was founded after the Civil War on June 19, 1865. The Freedmen migrated to Houston from the small farms and plantations south and southwest of Houston along the Brazos River by way of San Felipe Road. Many Freedmen settled on the uninhabitable swampy banks of the Buffalo Bayou on land that belonged to Garrett S. Hardcastle No white man could have worked or lived and endured the insect bites and malaria, snake bites, impure water, and other hardships. However, the Freedmen survived and thrived despite the obstacles.

Over 50 countries fought on the battlegrounds of Asia, Europe, North Africa, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea in one of the world's most deadly and costliest wars in world history, World War II. The United States entered the war in 1941 after Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. Research estimates that during World War II over 2.5 million Negro men registered for the draft, and large numbers of Negro women volunteered to serve in the Army, Army Air Forces, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Although these men and women experienced discrimination and segregation, they served their country with great distinction and made valuable contributions to the war efforts.

555 Grace the YMCA Black Genii is collection of stories about the men and women who established the Colored YMCA and help build Houston. Their contributions and lives are acknowledged and celebrated so we will always remember...

In 1905, L.H. Spivey, T.M. Fairchild, E.O. Smith, and several Negro leaders meet with William A. Hunton the National Colored Secretary to discuss establishing a Houston YMCA for Negros. These Houston leaders continued to meet on Sundays for many years; however, their initial quest to establish a Y failed until the National War Work Council established the Colored Soldiers and Sailors Branch of Houston Young Men's Christian Associations of the United States in 1918. The Colored Soldiers and Sailors Branch of Houston Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) was housed on the third floor of the Lincoln Theatre under the leadership of Professor Howard Payne Carter to provide fraternal and Christian fellowship for Houston's Colored soldiers and sailors returning from World War I.

In 1931, William C. Craver became the Executive Secretary of the Colored YMCA. He was highly effective in implementing changes in structure and operations of the developing YMCA as it joined as a branch of Houston YMCA. Craver was also instrumental in the Y's growth in programs and services by expanding the work of the Colored Branch YMCA of Houston. The Colored Branch YMCA of Houston moved to the Pilgrim Building located at 1217 Bagby Street and West Dallas Avenue in 1935. This change in location brought on a new designation for the branch. Both programs and services increased to the extent that the need for a permanent building designed for YMCA activities became an impelling need. In September 1948, Executive Secretary William C. Craver hired Quentin R. Mease as a program director to initiate a special expansion program for young men. Shortly after arriving on his new assignment, Mease convinced his colleagues to change the name of the Colored Branch YMCA located in the Pilgrim building to the Bagby Street Branch YMCA and succeeded William C. Craver as the executive secretary in 1950.

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was an all-black battalion of the Woman's Army Corps (WAC). The 6888th had eight hundred and fifty-five enlisted African American women and officers. The battalion was commanded by Major Charity Edna Adams Early, who became the highest-ranking African-American woman in the military at the end of the war. It was the only all-black, all-female battalion overseas during World War II. The group was nicknamed Six Triple Eight and their motto was "No mail, no morale. The battalion was organizing into five companies-Headquarters Company, Company A, Company B, Company C, and Company D. Most of the 6888th worked as postal clerks, cooks, mechanics, and in other support positions. The Women's Army Corps (WAC) of the U.S Army was created by a law that was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on July 1, 1943. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights leader Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune called for African American women to serve as enlisted personnel and officers in the WAC. With several units of white woman sent to serve the European theater of the war, African American organizations pressed the War Department to extend the opportunity to serve overseas to African American WAC.

Houston Independence Heights is an 8.5 x 8.5-48 page full color paperback pictorial history book of Houston's Independence Heights, Texas. The city was incorporated on January 25, 1915 and became the first Incorporated African American City in Texas.

Acres Homes was established in 1910. Working class families, laborers, farmers, water front workers, carpenters, domestics, military, and factory workers filled with hope and self-pride began migrating and purchasing property platted for African Americans approximately 10 miles northwest of downtown Houston from developer Alfred A. Wright. The settlement acquired its name Acreage Home from the fact that land was sold by the acre rather than by the lot. The land owners benefited from low taxes, inexpensive land, and an agrarian lifestyle a bit of genteel country with quick and easy access to the city.

Texas 100 Year Old African American Churches is a 8.5 X 8.5-60 page full color pictorial history of Texas African American Churches that are over 100 years old. The book includes churches in the following Texas cities Galveston, Dickinson, Texas City, Brookshire, Freedmen's Town, Houston Heights, Fifth Ward, Independence Heights, Bordersville, Barrett Station, Needville, Piney Point, Kohrville, Independence Grove, Hempstead, Pledger, and Bellville.

Buffalo Soldiers is a visual presentation of Buffalo Soldiers throughout American history including photos of Confederate and Union Soldiers. The book also offers a glimpse of the Buffalo Soldiers' 150th Anniversary held in Houston, Texas on July 30, 2016.