TIPHC Newsletter, May 1-7, 2016

The Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) has launched Handbook of Tejano History with over 1,200 entries. To mark this occasion, the TSHA is releasing an accompanying special eBook to celebrate Tejano history and commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Tejano Monument unveiling on the Capitol grounds in Austin.  The compelling eBook is  entitled, “Tejanos Through Time: Selections from the Handbook of Tejano History” and is available for free download here.

Tejanos Through Time will provide a representative sample of the much larger Handbook of Tejano History, which contains nearly 1,200 entries, including 300 new entries, detailing the critical influence of Tejanos on the Lone Star State.  The eBook, as well as the two-year Tejano Handbook Project, are the culmination of the research and writing of dozens of researchers, professors, students and Texas history enthusiasts committed to capturing and celebrating Tejano contributions to Texas life and culture.

Co-edited by distinguished historians Dr. Emilio Zamora of the University of Texas at Austin and Dr. Andres Tijerina of Austin Community College, the book features 30 entries about prominent Tejano individuals, organizations, and events that defined many of the Lone Star State’s most iconic symbols and traditions. The Handbook of Tejano History and accompanying eBook were released on March 29 to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Tejano Monument unveiling on the Capitol grounds in Austin.

Author and distinguished historian Dr. Emilio Zamora weighed in on the eBook’s significance, stating, “The story of Texas would be incomplete without celebrating its Tejano influence. Through the inspiring stories of prominent Tejano figures and the histories of iconic symbols and traditions, we come to understand the importance of Mexican-Americans in Texas history. This publication acknowledges the unique and prominent impact of Tejanos on our state and the need to preserve their rich history.”

TIPHC Bookshelf

Published scholarship on black history in Texas is growing and we’d like to share with you some suggested readings, both current and past, from some of the preeminent history scholars in Texas and beyond. We invite you to take a look at our bookshelf page — including a featured selection — and check back as the list grows. A different selection will be featured each week. We welcome suggestions and reviews. This week, we offer, “Afro-Mexico, Dancing between Myth and Reality,” by Anita González.

This study of African-based dance in Mexico explores the influence of African people and their cultural productions on Mexican society, showing how dance can embody social histories and relationships.

This Week In Texas Black History, May 1-7, 2016

1 – On this day in 1991, Marcelite Harris became the U.S. Air Force’s first African-American female general. Harris is a Houston native who graduated from Kashmere Gardens High School in 1960. Among her many other “firsts,” she was also the first woman aircraft maintenance officer, one of the first two women air officers commanding at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the first woman deputy commander for maintenance. She was the highest ranking woman in the U.S. Air Force and the highest ranking black woman in the entire Department of Defense when she retired in 1997.

1 – Olympic sprinter and National Football League running back Ollie Matson was born on this day in 1930 in Trinity, Texas. At age 14, he moved with his family to San Francisco, and in 1952 earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of San Francisco. In 1951, he led the nation with 1,566 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns and was named an All-American as a defensive back. The next year, he won a bronze medal in the 400-meter dash and a silver medal as part of the 4×400-meter relay team at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland and was the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals. In his 14-year career, Matson set a league record with nine career touchdown returns and retired with 12,884 combined net yards (rushing, receiving, and returns), an NFL record at the time. He also played with the Los Angeles Rams, the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams traded eight players and a draft choice to the Cardinals to get Matson in 1959, in one of the biggest deals in league history. Matson was a six-time All-Pro and shared Rookie of the Year honors in 1952 with San Francisco 49ers running back Hugh McIlhenny. In 1972, the first year he was eligible, Matson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and in 1976 was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

2 – On this day in 2009, the Texas Medical Association (TMA) elected Houston neurologist William H. Fleming III as its 144th president and the first African American to lead the group. A native of Memphis, Fleming was named a Texas Super Doctor by Texas Monthly magazine In 2005 and 2006, and Top Doctor by Houston magazine in 2007.

Blog: Ron Goodwin, author, PVAMU history professor

Ron Good win’s bi-weekly blog appears exclusively for TIPHC/TBHPP. Goodwin is a San Antonio native and Air Force veteran. Generally, his column will address contemporary issues in the black community and how they relate to black history. He and the TIPHC/TBHPP staff welcome your comments. His latest blog is, “Youthful Indiscretions.” Read it

Submissions Wanted

Historians, scholars, students, lend us your…writings. Help us produce the most comprehensive documentation ever undertaken for the African American experience in Texas. We encourage you to contribute items about people, places, events, issues, politics/legislation, sports, entertainment, religion, etc., as general entries or essays. Our documentation is wide-ranging and diverse, and you may research and write about the subject of your interest or, to start, please consult our list of suggested biographical entries and see submission guidelines. However, all topics must be approved by TIPHC/TBHPP editors before beginning your research/writing.

We welcome your questions or comments via email or telephone – mdhurd@pvamu.edu, .