You don’t have to look far in to Texas' past to see the ugly face of racial violence against African Americans. There is the 1910 Slocum Massacre which we’ve covered on Texas Matters. But there are so many more examples.
- The 1916 Waco Horror
- The 1917 Houston Race Riot
- The Longview Race Riot of 1919
- The Sherman Courthouse Riot of 1930
- The Beaumont Race Riot of 1943
- The 1998 dragging death of James Byrd
What do they all mean when examined through the long lens of history, looking for a pattern and a cause?
That’s what the book “Anti-Black Violence in Twentieth Century Texas” attempts with a collection of essays. The editor is historian Bruce Glasrud. Glasrud is professor emeritus of history at California State University, East Bay. He is the author, co-author or editor of more than two dozen books.
Segment 2:
When it comes to his writings about the history of anti-black violence in Texas – E.R. Bills leaves little to the imagination. His most recent book “Black Holocaust: The Paris Horror and a Legacy of Texas Terror” is an unflinching account of the fiery racial lynchings in the state. Bills is also the author of the book “The 1910 Slocum Massacre” and his work paved the way to reclaim that event into official Texas history.
Bills will be giving a reading from 11 to 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Twig Bookstore in San Antonio.
