HISTORIC PRESERVATION
We assist historic African American sites in the Houston metropolitan area with securing historic markers. To inquire about this process, complete the form below.
CURRENT PROJECTS
LUCKIE SCHOOL
The Luckie School is one of the oldest Black schools in the city of Houston. During a time when the Houston school board trustees traditionally named Black campuses for prominent African Americans in other areas of the U.S., this is the first Houston school named for a Black Texas educator. The former Charles W. Luckie School established by HISD in 1909, was the second oldest school in the Third Ward. Luckie, who was born into enslavement, graduated from Atlanta University and moved to Texas in 1883. He later became principal of elementary schools in Huntsville and San Antonio, educating young African Americans who were a generation removed from enslavement. For twenty years he was a professor of English and later Latin at Prairie View State Normal College (now Prairie View A&M University). C.W. Luckie Hall (demolished) was named in his honor.
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In the 1990s, the former Luckie School was purchased by Mickey Phoenix. Phoenix was the owner of a screenprinting business housed on the site and worked to bring awareness to the building’s history. Today, the school is now in the process of obtaining a historical designation due to the work of Real Estate Broker Herman Gary, Jr., Michelle Barnes (see Community Artists’ Collective), Debra Blacklock Sloan, and Lindsay Gary. This is a collaboration between these community leaders and the current owners in order to convert the Luckie School into a museum and repurposed cultural institution.
Location
1004 Palmer Street, Houston, Texas 77003
Website
https://luckieschool.wordpress.com/
Stay tuned for the marker’s launch date in Fall 2024.
We also conduct preservation efforts through our exhibits.
THE NEW RED BOOK EXHIBIT
50 OF HOUSTON'S BLACK HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SITES
Curator: Dr. Lindsay Gary Author of The New Red Book and Director of "Who Yo' People"
Through the lens of The New Red Book: A Guide to 50 of Houston’s Black Historical and Cultural Sites, written by Dr. Lindsay Gary, this exhibit showcases the history of Houston through the perspective of place - 50 cultural organizations and sites created and sustained by African Americans. Adding to the rich historical legacy of Houston, this exhibit tells a comprehensive story of Houston’s African Americans who have made significant contributions to the city, from their earliest years to the present. The title pays tribute to the original 1915 publication The Red Book of Houston: A Compendium of Social, Professional, Religious, Education and Industrial Interests of Houston’s Colored Population, recognized by researchers as one of a kind for its detailed description of African American success in the South during a time of social and political upheaval.
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
Discover the timeline of Houston’s black history, highlighting the story of Africans on the continent of Africa and during the Middle Passage; their arrival to Texas, particularly through the port of Galveston, beginning with Estevanico in 1529; the experiences of enslaved African Americans in Houston; the story of emancipation and Juneteenth; and its celebrations at Emancipation Park. The exhibit contextualizes Juneteenth from the perspective of those who were emancipated. This includes the stories of both enslavement and emancipation in the state of Texas, the establishment of Juneteenth as a holiday, the creation of Emancipation Park, and the important leaders who led the way. It will also have significant sections on the amazing contributions that occurred during the Reconstruction Period such as the establishment of the city’s first Black churches and educational institutions, particularly led by Richard Brock, Elias Dibble, and Jack Yates. Additionally, it will cover significant events of the 20th century such as the 1917 Riot and the desegregation of the city in the late 1960s. See the historic neighborhoods including Freedmen’s Town, one of the first areas founded by Black Houstonians, and Third Ward, the Black neighborhood with the most in-tact cultural and historical sites. Artistic and cultural contributions from pioneers like Sally Bowie Daniels, who for decades ran one of the city’s first Black-owned dance studios and trained the legendary Debbie Allen, to the city’s first Black mayor, Lee P. Brown, who established the Houston Museum of African American Culture. Learn about little-known histories of the Almeda Post Office, the site of the first non-violent civil rights demonstration in the city, as well as pop culture destinations such as Frenchy’s Creole Kitchen and Screwed Up Records and Tapes.
The curator, a professional educator, ensured to incorporate maps, historical images and artwork, artifacts, and a comprehensive, interactive timeline. The maps and images display the movement from Africa into Texas as well as a map of the Houston-Galveston region, show the important landmarks such as Emancipation Park, Freedom Tree Park, and the port of Galveston. Historical images include photographs of key figures such as Jack Yates and Elias Dibble, in addition to artwork sourced from local artists that displays the city’s history. Relevant artifacts were sourced such as records of enslaved Africans in the Houston-Galveston area and documents from prominent leaders. The sourcing of these historical items calls for the participation of the sites featured in the book. The interactive timeline provides a written historical context as well as audio and visual elements such as video and audio interviews and actor re-enactments.
