Contemporary Texas History

Telling the story of Texas in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Follow us on Facebook for more updates:

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

A few front pages from Texas history on July 22. World War II news, elections, the Legislature, and more are covered in these front pages. #Texas

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

A few Texas front pages from July 21, 1969. #TXhistory #Texas

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

The July 25, 1957 Lubbock Avalanche Journal carried a story about two court clerks who saw a UFO that looked like a turkey roaster while walking the streets of Lubbock.

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

Cases of UFO sightings in Houston throughout the years https://t.co/O35PPkImED

[LU Archives @archives_lu]

Fredrica Kla Bada Brown was a student from Liberia who graduated from Lawrence in 1917. Following her graduation from Lawrence, she became Dean of Women at Wiley University (now Wiley College) and helped found the Phyllis Wheatley branch of the Y.W.C.A. in Indianapolis.

[Jeremy Wallace @JeremySWallace]

One of the biggest days in Texas history today.

105 years ago today women in Texas voted — 2 years before the 19th Amendment was ratified.

And it is a wild story of how Minnie Fisher Cunningham helped pull it off.

[WFAA @wfaa]

"JUSTICIA PARA SANTOS": 50 years ago today, Santos Rodriguez was killed by a Dallas police officer who played Russian roulette while questioning the 12-year-old boy.

WFAA is marking the tragedy with a special, 30-minute program, which airs tonight at 7. https://t.co/1vSkfvxyFe

[Texas Capitol History @TXCapHistory]

A Ford f-5 pickup truck with a model of the Liberty Bell in the back. Painted on the truck's bed rail is the motto "Save For YOUR Independence - Buy U.S. Savings Bonds." 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Unknown date, but from WWII period. #txlege

[Robert Wilonsky @RobertWilonsky]

In March 2018 -- 61 years after he first played the Statler Hilton in downtown Dallas -- Tony Bennett returned to reopen the Commerce Street hotel. He was 91 years old. And he was spectacular. Godspeed, Anthony Dominick Benedetto.

https://t.co/RLHVkfFN6x

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

@TracesofTexas https://t.co/8nGS0V5fPL

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

@TracesofTexas His son, W. Walworth Harrison also wrote a history of Greenville. Will N. Harrison is also credited with coming up with the slogan “Blackest Land, Whitest People,” which hung on a sign in that city for many years. The story is told in W.W. Harrison’s book.

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

Splettstoesser shot Waller in front of the post office. It is believed Splettstoesser shot Waller because he was paying attention to one of his daughters. Waller was survived by his widow and two daughters. (3/3)

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

Did you know a candidate for statewide office in Texas was once murdered while on the campaign trail? Edward Rex Waller, 34, a former Weslaco city manager, was shot in Trinity while campaigning for state treasurer on May 23, 1934. (1/3)

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

Waller was transported to a Houston hospital where he died of gunshot wounds to the chest and legs. A railroad clerk, Will Splettstoesser, 55, turned himself in immediately after the crime and was later charged, although it isn’t clear if he was ever tried or convicted. (2/3)

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

Both The Defender and Dallas Express published newsy notes often filled with the names of community members and their out of town relations, church happenings, school events, and more. These were sent in by their local agents in towns where the paper was sold. Subscribers sent the information to the local news agent who compiled it.

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

Finding primary sources that describe everyday life in Black communities across Texas from the 1920s-1950s can sometimes be difficult. Two sources provide both historical facts and information useful to genealogists with regard to Black communities during this time: The Chicago Defender, and the Dallas Express. (1/2)

[TAMI @texasarchive]

⬇️FROM TAMI'S INTERN...⬇️ Local news sure has changed! In a shimmery gold suit, a @KPRC2 reporter warns of the growing #Houston population and the negative effects of this growth.
#texas #archives #TAMITurns20 #houston
Click to watch the full video ⬇️
https://t.co/OAPjW9Km8d

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

Texas newspapers of the early 1930s often tracked the flights of aviator Wiley Post, who was born near Grand Saline. (Handbook of Texas: https://t.co/jnQ91p2lVw) Post was a pioneer in high altitude flight. He was killed with humorist Will Rogers in an Alaska plane crash in August, 1935.

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

📰: Brenham Banner Press, July 18, 1933 (2/2)

[Contemporary Texas History @ContemTXHist]

What farmer had the first bale of cotton in the county and how much it sold for was an annual news story for more than a century across all Texas counties where cotton is grown. As it became easier for newspapers to reproduce photos, a photo was often included. (1/2)