Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow City (Volume 41) (American Crossroads)

Beginning after World War I, Houston was transformed from a black-and-white frontier town into one of the most ethnically and racially diverse urban areas in the United States.__Houston Bound__ draws on social and cultural history to show how, despite Anglo attempts to fix racial categories through Jim Crow laws, converging migrations—particularly those of Mexicans and Creoles—complicated ideas of blackness and whiteness and introduced different understandings about race. This migration history also uses music and sound to examine these racial complexities, tracing the emergence of Houston's blues and jazz scenes in the 1920s as well as the hybrid forms of these genres that arose when migrants forged shared social space and carved out new communities and politics. This interdisciplinary book provides both an innovative historiography about migration and immigration in the twentieth century and a critical examination of a city located in the former Confederacy__.__ From World War I Through The 1960s, Houston Was Transformed Into One Of The Most Ethnically And Racially Diverse Urban Areas In The United States. Houston Bound Draws On Social And Cultural History To Show How, Despite Anglo Attempts To Fix Racial Categories Through Jim Crow Laws, Converging Migrations--particularly Those Of Mexicans And Creoles--complicated Ideas Of Blackness And Whiteness And Introduced Different Understandings About Race. This Migration History Also Traces The Emergence Of Houston's Blues And Jazz Scenes In The 1920s As Well As The Hybrid Forms Of These Genres--like Zydeco And Tejano Soul--that Arose When Migrants Forged Shared Social Space. Houston's Location On The Gulf Coast, Poised Between The American South And The West, Provides For A Particularly Rich Examination Of How The Histories Of Colonization, Slavery, And Segregation Produced Divergent Ways Of Thinking About Race--provided By Publisher. Introduction : When Worlds Collide -- The Bayou City In Black And White -- Old Wards, New Neighbors -- Jim Crow-ing Culture -- We Were Too White To Be Black And Too Black To Be White -- All America Dances To It -- Blaxicans And Black Creoles -- Conclusion : Race In Modern Houston. Tyina L. Steptoe. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 277-293) And Index. Beginning after World War I, Houston was transformed from a black-and-white frontier town into one of the most ethnically and racially diverse urban areas in the United States. Houston Bound draws on social and cultural history to show how, despite Anglo attempts to fix racial categories through Jim Crow laws, converging migrations—particularly those of Mexicans and Creoles—complicated ideas of blackness and whiteness and introduced different understandings about race. This migration history also uses music and sound to examine these racial complexities, tracing the emergence of Houston's blues and jazz scenes in the 1920s as well as the hybrid forms of these genres that arose when migrants forged shared social space and carved out new communities and politics.

This interdisciplinary book provides both an innovative historiography about migration and immigration in the twentieth century and a critical examination of a city located in the former Confederacy. Beginning after World War I, Houston was transformed from a black-and-white frontier town into one of the most ethnically and racially diverse urban areas in the United States. Houston Bound draws on social and cultural history to show how, despite Anglo attempts to fix racial categories through Jim Crow laws, converging migrations—particularly those of Mexicans and Creoles—complicated ideas of blackness and whiteness and introduced different understandings about race. This migration history also uses music and sound to examine these racial complexities, tracing the emergence of Houston's blues and jazz scenes in the 1920s as well as the hybrid forms of these genres that arose when migrants forged shared social space and carved out new communities and politics. This interdisciplinary book provides both an innovative historiography about migration and immigration in the twentieth century and a critical examination of a city located in the former Confederacy . Cover -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Introduction: When Worlds Collide -- PART ONE -- 1 The Bayou City in Black and White -- 2 Old Wards, New Neighbors -- PART TWO -- 3 Jim Crow-ing Culture -- 4 "We Were Too White to Be Black and Too Black to Be White" -- PART THREE -- 5 "All America Dances to It" -- 6 "Blaxicans" and Black Creoles -- Conclusion: Race in the Modern City -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- X -- Y -- Z