Tag Archives: Texas History

Today in Texas History – April 28

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From the Annals of Gunboat Diplomacy –  In 1965, Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson  ordered an invasion of the Dominican Republic.  LBJ sent approximately 22,000 troops in a purported effort to prevent a “communist dictatorship.” Johnson’s action resulted in massive protests in Latin America and further criticism of LBJ as a war monger in the United States.

The events leading up to the U.S. incursion began with the assassination of long-time strong man Rafael Trujillo.  Trujillo was a brutal dictator but  that mattered little because of his strong anticommunist stance.  The U.S. supported him despite horrific human rights abuses.  After his death, a reformist government led by Pres. Juan Bosch won elections in 1962.  He was quickly deposed in 1963 by the corrupt and venal Dominican military. This set off a struggle for power pitting various military and political factions against each other.  Ultimately forces supporting Bosch began attacks against the military dictatorship.  LBJ and others, in the full throes of cold-war thinking, feared another Cuba in the Caribbean and decided to invade.  They were quickly able to end the fighting and install a right-wing civilian puppet for the military.

LBJ’s stated rationale for the action (the fear of the a new communist dictatorship) was never solidly proven. He provided American reporters with lists of suspected communists; but even a quick review of the list revealed almost no real communists at work. Some of the people were deceased and many others were clearly not communists – but were merely persons legitimately opposed to the right-wing dictatorship favored by the U.S.

Photo from www.loeildelaphotographie.com

Today in Texas History – April 27

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From the Annals of the Baseball Legends –  In 1983, Nolan Ryan recorded strikeout number 3509 while pitching for the Houston Astros in a game against the Montreal Expos at Olympic Stadium.  Ryan, nicknamed the Ryan Express, broke Walter Johnson’s career strikeout record which had stood for 55 years since 1927.   ”I don’t get too excited about anything,” Ryan said after pitching the Astros to a 4-2 victory and striking out 5 batters. ”I was more relieved than anything else. Now I can sit back and relax and get more satisfaction out of it.” Ryan broke the record by striking out Brad Mills, a pinch-hitter, looking on a 1-2 curveball in the eighth inning.

Today in Texas History – April 23

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From the Annals of Bravery in the Face of the Racists –  In 1931, O. P. DeWalt, president of the Houston NAACP, was assassinated. DeWalt was a real estate and school principal who had graduated from Prairie View College.   He later opened the Lincoln Theater, the first exclusively black theater in Houston. His bravery in confronting the Ku Klux Klan was noted as he fought against their growing influence.  He also sought to end the Democratic Party’s “whites only” primary system and pushed for the establishment of a branch of the National Urban League in Houston.

Most believe that DeWalt was killed for his strong opposition to the Klan. According to Hazel Haynesworth Young, however, the event that spelled doom for DeWalt was when he had the nerve to bring the 1929 King Vidor epic Hallelujah to town. Vidor intended the film to portray blacks far more sympathetically and realistically than ever before.   According to Young, “He brought it in defiance of the white people who were supposed to see pictures first . . . And they had somebody kill Mr. O.P. DeWalt.”  Shamefully, no one was ever prosecuted for his murder.

Today in Texas History – April 23i

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From the Annals of Modern Art –  In 1892, a group of Fort Worth socialites obtained a charter from the State which established the Fort Worth Public Library Association.  The FWPLA was the first seed of what would become the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth – the oldest art museum in Texas.  The Charter provided that the purpose of the FWPLA was “the accumulation of paintings and artistic work of every character for the enjoyment and cultivation of our people. ”  The works were initially displayed in the Art Gallery of the Carnegie Public Library in 1901.  The name evolved over the years from the Fort Worth Museum of Art, to the Forth Worth Art Center, to the Fort Worth Art Center Museum, to the Fort Worth Art Museum.  The naming frenzy settled down in 1987 and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth has been in place since 1987. The museum “is dedicated to collecting, presenting, and interpreting international developments in post–World War II art in all media and creating a welcoming environment for its public appreciation.”  Its incredible collection is housed in a spectacular building designed by Tadao Ando and is located in the Fort Worth Cultural District along with the Kimbell Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum.  Together they are perhaps the most spectacular collection of centrally located art museums in the entire country. Red’s  personal favorite is the massive Anselm Kiefer painting located in the gallery behind the main entrance.

Today in Texas History – April 22

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From the Annals of the Conquistadors – In 1540, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado left Culiacán in charge of an expedition to search for the fabled Seven Cities of Cíbola.  The quest was sparked by tales from Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca who with his other companions (including Estavanico) had wandered for several years in their attempts to return to New Spain after being shipwrecked in Texas.  Cibola did exist, but the “cities” were not made of gold.  Rather they were Zuñi villages in western New Mexico including the spectacular “Sky City” pueblo at Acoma.  Undeterred, Coronado set out in search of Quivira a region to the east also rumored to be rich in gold and silver. Coronado wandered somewhat aimlessly across the Llano Estacado and parts of the Great Plains discovering Palo Duro Canyon, but never found any riches.  Upon his return, Coronado was held to account for the failed expedition and his conduct as governor of Nueva Galicia. He was cleared of charges in connection with the expedition, but on some of the other charges was fined and lost his commission.

Today in Texas History – April 21

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From the Annals of the Confederacy – In 1928, Felix Huston Robertson died in Waco. Robertson was the only Texas native general in the Confederate Army.  Robertson who was born at  Washington-on-the-Brazos was appointed a brigadier general in 1864.  He was reported to be a cruel and harsh commander.  He was known as Commanche Robertson for the savage nature of his punishments and his Indian-like visage.  He was involved in one of the more controversial incidents of the Civil War.  On October 3, 1864 in Saltville, Virginia, troops under Robertson’s command killed well over 100 wounded, mostly black survivors of a Union attack.  Robertson was implicated but never charged with any crime.  It was left to a subordinate officer to take the blame and he was hanged for murder after the war.  Robertson was severely wounded shortly after his promotion and never returned to field duty. Robertson returned to Texas, where he became an attorney, real estate speculator, and enthusiastic member of the United Confederate Veterans. At the time of his death he was the last surviving general of the Confederacy.

Today in Texas History – April 20

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From the Annals of Secret Nuptials –  In 1952, J. P. Richardson, Jr., known as “The Big Bopper,” married Adrianne “Teetsie” Fryou.  Richardson was a Beaumont deejay, singer and songwriter.  He scored his biggest hit with “Chantilly Lace” in 1958, but also wrote hits such as “White Lightning” and  “Running Bear.”  The Big Bopper was an impressive showman who performed in colorful zoot suits and had a larger than life stage presence.  However, he kept his marriage secret to promote his flamboyant image with his fans. The Big Bopper recorded 21 of his own songs -mostly novelty records.  Sadly, he may be most famous for having met his demise in the same plane crash as Buddy Holly and Richie Valens in 1959.  Richardson supposedly got his place on the plane because he was suffering from the flu and did not want to spend all night riding on the tour bus.

Today in Texas History – April 17

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From the Annals of Ol’ Sarge –  In 1871, the Texas legislature approved a bill that provided for the organization of the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College.  The college which became Texas A&M University.  The school which was original all-male and all-Corps is now a Tier 1 research institution and the A&M system comprises not only Texas A&M in College Station but also includes:

Today in Texas History – April 16

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From the Annals of Tejano –  In 1971, the greatest of all the Tejana stars, Selena Quintanilla Perez,  was born in Lake Jackson.   Selena’s impact on music and fashion made her one of the top Mexican-American artists of the 80’s and 90’s. She was named the “top Latin artist of the ’90s” by Billboard and was the “best selling Latin artist of the decade”.  She began her career at age 9 and recorded her first album at 11.   She was named top female vocalist award nine times at the Tejano Music awards.  Her list of career accomplishments could go on for pages.  Tragically, she was killed by the founder of her first fan club on March 31, 1995 in Corpus Christi.  Her posthumous album Dreaming of You debuted at No.1.  The crossover album was destined to make her a star beyond the world of Tejano music.  Red was driving past the Astrodome when he heard the news of her death.  The same Astrodome where Selena held the record for attendance in one of her appearances at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.  Red had asked Mrs. Red for years to go see her, but never did to his everlasting regret.

Today in Texas History – April 14

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From the Annals of the Dust Bowl –   In 1935,  a massive dust storm swept across Oklahoma and Texas earning it the title of  “Black Sunday.”   The storm became the stuff of legends.  It inspired songs and was likely responsible for the coining of the phrase “Dust Bowl.”   That Sunday afternoon was described as warm and sunny, but a wall of sand and dust kicked up in the Oklahoma panhandle and  northwestern Oklahoma around 4 pm.  The storm moved quickly to the south and southeast across  Oklahoma.  Wind speeds of more than 40 mile per hour were recorded along with a plunge in temperature.  The worst part of the storm was in the Texas panhandle.  Wind speeds reached 60 miles per hour and the massive dust cloud blotted out the sun.  Reports were that for a brief time it was so dark that you could not see the hand in front of your face.  Avis D. Carlson of the New Republic described a massive dust storm as follows:

“People caught in their own yards grope for the doorstep. Cars come to a standstill, for no light in the world can penetrate that swirling murk…. The nightmare is deepest during the storms. But on the occasional bright day and the usual gray day we cannot shake from it. We live with the dust, eat it, sleep with it, watch it strip us of possessions and the hope of possessions.”