RSVP HERE!

Join the League of Women Voters for Women’s History Month on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 for the play screening from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at The Heritage Society’s museum gallery at 1100 Bagby Street.

The First Ladies portrayed in 'Tea for Three'—Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, and Betty Ford—hold significant historical importance for various reasons:

1. Lady Bird Johnson (1912-2007)

• Environmental Advocacy: As First Lady from 1963 to 1969, she championed environmental causes, notably the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, which aimed to improve the appearance of highways across America.

• Civil Rights: She played a role in her husband's Great Society programs, which sought to eliminate poverty and racial injustice.

• Public Image: Lady Bird's focus on beautification and her public persona helped redefine the role of First Lady, emphasizing activism and social issues.

2. Pat Nixon (1912-1993)

• Supportive Role: Serving as First Lady from 1969 to 1974, Pat Nixon was known for her loyalty and support of her husband, Richard Nixon, during his presidency and the Watergate scandal.

• Advocacy for the Arts: She promoted the arts and education and was involved in numerous charitable organizations.

• Public Engagement: Pat Nixon was one of the first First Ladies to travel extensively, representing the U.S. abroad and engaging with various communities.

3. Betty Ford (1918-2011)

• Health Advocacy: As First Lady from 1974 to 1977, Betty Ford was open about her battles with breast cancer, bringing awareness to women's health issues and promoting breast cancer screenings.

• Substance Abuse Awareness: After leaving the White House, she became a prominent advocate for addiction recovery, founding the Betty Ford Center, which helped countless individuals struggling with substance abuse.

• Feminist Icon: Betty Ford was known for her progressive views on women's rights, including her support for the Equal Rights Amendment.

Conclusion

These First Ladies not only shaped their husbands' presidencies but also left lasting legacies in social, environmental, and health advocacy. Their stories reflect the evolving role of women in politics and society, highlighting the impact of their contributions beyond the traditional confines of the First Lady's role.

U.S.S. Houston (CA-30) Survivors’ Association and Next Generations®

Day of Remembrance 2025

83rd Anniversary of the Loss of U.S.S. Houston (CA-30) and H.M.A.S. Perth (D-29)

The ceremony on March 8, at 1:30 PM at The Heritage Society is set to honor those who lost their lives during the Battle of Sunda Strait on March 1, 1942, including the Sailors from the Australian, British and Dutch nations who attempted to stop Japanese naval forces from landing in Java. This event is open to the public.

FACEBOOK LIVE!

📸 Board member Mister McKinney of Mister McKinney's Historic Houston has award winning documentary filmmaker 🎥 🎞️ Jim Bailey on the legacy of iconic Houston photographer Bob Bailey on “LIVE from The Heritage Society with Mister McKinney” on Wednesday, March 5, at 7:00 p.m. This is a free program on Facebook or Instagram Live.

Bob Bailey was a photographer who captured Houston life from 1929 until his death in 1971. His younger brother Marvin worked for him and carried on the business until the mid-1990s and died in 1998. Between them they left behind 500,000 glass negatives, the bulk being 8"x10" and 4" X 5" and a few larger formats (e.g. 16" x 20"). In 1998, an enterprising retired lawyer named James Lee saved the negatives from being tossed in the trash, and found a home for them at the [Dolph] Briscoe Center for American History, associated with the University of Texas at Austin. In the 14 years the negatives have rested there, about 5,000 of the 25,000 interesting (to Houstonians) photos have been digitized.

Jim Bailey of Sunset Productions of Houston, Texas, is an award-winning television and film producer who specializes in educational video programs and television documentaries focusing on Texas history, art and lifestyles.  As a 30-year veteran, he has written and produced more than one hundred television and video programs.

He has served as president of the board of Texas Foundation for the Arts, and is a member of Harris County Historical Commission, Rice Historical Society and Preservation Houston.  He is a third-generation Texan and graduate of Baylor University. He was co-producer on the recent PBS documentaries “The Golden Age of Texas Courthouses” and “Uncommon Law:  The Life and Times of Leon Jaworski.”  He recently produced and co-wrote a 60-minute documentary, “In Search of Houston’s History,” for the Friends of the Texas Room and the Houston Public Library.  Other recent documentaries include “The Art of Architecture—Houston,” which won a Telly Award, and “The 1910 Harris County Courthouse,” which won the Good Brick Award from Preservation Houston.Bailey was co-producer of the HoustonPBS program “Houston Arts Television.” Two other recent PBS documentaries were “Juneteenth:  A Celebration of Freedom,” produced in cooperation with the School of Architecture at Prairie View A&M University; and “Brushstrokes of South Texas,” an interesting profile of the life of Mexican-born artist Daniel Lechon and his murals that were installed in the Kennedy Ranch Museum of South Texas History. “Asia Society Texas Center,” the story of architect Yoshio Taniguchi’s new landmark building in Houston’s Museum District, was produced by Texas Foundation for the Arts and Houston Arts Alliance and aired on HoustonPBS in 2013.  Jim Bailey worked on the documentary as co-producer and writer.

LIONWOMAN PRODUCTIONS TX HOSTS

A CONVERSATION WITH HOUSTON WOMEN LEADERS

As we embrace fresh challenges in 2025, Lionwoman Productions TX invites you to a public conversation, “Women Empowerment: Changing the Landscape.” This event will take place on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at The Heritage Society of Houston, 1100 Bagby St., from 4:00 – 6:00 PM.  Join us at a pre-talk reception in the Museum Gallery, to meet and chat with speakers and fellow attendees.  TICKETS:  www.lionwomanproductionstx.com / Women Empowerment. (Free parking)

The conversation will focus on how women lead and explore strategies for advancing empowerment, particularly by recognizing the value of female experience and incorporating female perspectives into policymaking and problem-solving at local and national levels.

Our esteemed panelists, representing various disciplines in business and the arts here in Houston, include:

·       Malinda Beckham, Co-Artistic Director, Dirt Dogs Theatre, and business entrepreneur

·       Claudia de Vasco, Managing Director, Miller Theatre Advisory Board, and longtime Arts and Culture Advocate

·       Judge Dolores Lozano (Precinct 2, Position 2), First female justice of the peace to be elected to the position, Advocate for Hispanic community.

·       Eileen J. Morris, Artistic Director, The Ensemble Theatre, and longtime Civil Rights Activist

·       Tamara Siler, Director, University Relations - Admission, Rice University, and Houston singer and actor

·       Dr. Diana Strassmann, Carolyn and Fred McManis Distinguished Professor in the Practice, Emerita, at Rice’s Center for Women, Gender, and Sexuality. Scholar in feminist economics.

·       Geraldina Wise, Artist, Co-owner of Sawyer Gallery Studios, Advocate for Hispanic voices and diversity, Activist for the Environment and Cultural Awareness.

At noon, join us and Speaker Dr. Caleb McDaniel for “Captain’s Story: Slavery and Freedom in the Archives of The Heritage Society and Rice University”

In 1997, archivists at Rice University learned of a document which referred by name to a person enslaved by William Marsh Rice, the university’s founder. But it was not until the work of the Task Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice (2019-2023) that the full significance of the document, held in the archives of the Heritage Society, became clear. In this talk, Prof. McDaniel will return to those archives to examine what they can teach us about the history of slavery, emancipation, and the Civil War era in Houston and its hinterlands, as well as the importance of the institutions that preserve archives today.

Speaker’s Biography

Dr. W. Caleb McDaniel is a historian of the United States. His teaching and research to date have focused on the nineteenth century, the Civil War Era, and the struggle over slavery. He is also co-chair of the Rice University Task Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice.

His most recent book, Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America, published by Oxford University Press in 2019, was awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in History and the Civil War and Reconstruction book prize from the Organization of American Historians. It tells the story of Henrietta Wood, a formerly enslaved woman who, in the twilight of Reconstruction, won the largest known sum ever awarded by a U.S. court in restitution for slavery.

Dr. McDaniel’s first book, The Problem of Democracy in the Age of Slavery: Garrisonian Abolitionism and Transatlantic Reform, was published in 2013 and won the Merle Curti award from the Organization of American Historians and the James L. Broussard Prize from the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic.

His scholarly articles have appeared in the Journal of the Civil War Era, the Journal of the Early Republic, American Quarterly, and elsewhere, and he has published essays in the New York Times, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, and other outlets.

HISTORY ON TAP

History on Tap is a free program for the community held at North Shepherd Brewing 4816 N. Shepherd Drive HTX 77018

Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at 6:30 PM

Speaker: Rion Braddock “Texas Tales Untold in a Textbook”

Please join us for a rousing discussion of Early Texas and stories you will not find in a school textbook!!  Most of us know the story of the Texas Revolution and how Texas won its independence from Mexico.  But… is there more to the story?

·    Why did our Texas heroes come to Texas in the first place?

·    What did they want once they got here?

·    What did they do once they were here?

·    What did Santa Anna do during his march through Texas?

·    What about the Yellow Rose of Texas?

Let’s explore some of these questions and discover “the rest of the story”.

On Friday, February 7, at 6:00 p.m., join Language Keeper Do’wal Sehi (Sunshine in English) as she shares a humble retelling of the journey of revitalizing the Karankawa Language. This lecture is 45 minutes long and begins with a contemporary history of the Karankawa People, the discovery and cumulation of Karankawa Vocabulary, the hardships along the way, new discoveries, and where the path of larger cultural revitalization is heading. Hear the tried-and-true story of how nothing that is ever labeled as “extinct” really ever is and also see the exhibit KARANKAWA: AN ENDURING CULTURE OF TEXAS EXHIBIT on display until March 29, 2025. $5 Program Ticket includes wine and cheese reception and access to the exhibit.

Speaker’s Biography:

Do’wal Sehi is an indigenous educator, resistance artist, and language keeper from the Karankawa Hawk Clan. She currently works as an Indigenous Educator for a Health and Wellness Resort where she is inspired by Karankawa spirituality and ideology to hold space for and educate others to reconnect to the natural world, undo harmful colonial rhetoric, and find peace within themselves and the Mother Earth.

Her goal is to protect and serve her people, the original land stewards, and to educate those who are seeking it. On this journey, she has organized protests for her people, spoken at call to actions advocating for repatriation, reparations, and basic human rights, designed and offered classes and lectures, as well as shown in gallery spaces across Austin, TX. Her most recent goal is to inspire resistance, decolonization, and education through her art and lectures.

TICKETS HERE

At noon, join us and Speaker Andrew Sanders for “Texas in the International Civil War”

Topic: This presentation places Civil War–era Texas in an international perspective. Arguing that trade was the central point of contention in Civil War Texas, the presentation looks to the nexus of that trade, Matamoros, where merchants from Mexico, the US, and Europe competed and collaborated to reap the benefits of wartime border commerce. While distant federal governments found it difficult to exercise their goals on the border, wealthy merchant capitalists successfully juggled the realities of war to profitably participate in the Atlantic trade in cotton grown by enslaved people. For these merchants, loyalty and identity were fluid and contingent on circumstance, and they took advantage of their evolving postures toward different governments. While capitalism generally rests on trust, this one was built on precariousness. The merchant class of Matamoros learned how to thrive in the space between competing legal systems by engaging in shady commerce and seeking state compensation when their bets failed. o About the Speaker: Dru Sanders is a PhD candidate at Rice University. He completed a bachelor’s degree at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, and a master’s degree at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. Before coming to Rice, he taught at the Windward School in White Plains, New York. His research interests include the nineteenth century US, slavery and capitalism, the US-Mexico borderlands, and the Civil War in an international context.

1100 Bagby Street, Museum Gallery.  Free Parking at 212 Dallas

Members attend Lunch and Learns for free!  Membership information here- https://www.heritagesociety.org/membership-join

History on Tap is a free program for the community held at North Shepherd Brewing at 6:30 p.m. 4816 N. Shepherd Drive HTX 77018

Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 6:30 PM

Speaker: Dr. Brian Riedel “Whose Montrose?: a Neighborhood History”

Elite suburb, “gayborhood,” crime-ridden urban core, cultural mecca, gentrified contradiction – Montrose has been all these things and more. In this talk, Brian Riedel of Rice University will discuss the history of this iconic Houston neighborhood and its place in the city’s imagination of itself.

Bio:

A native of North Carolina, Brian Riedel has called Houston home since 1997.  In his role as Associate Director for the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Rice University, he connects community conversations and academic resources through teaching, research, and public events.  He is currently completing a book manuscript, 'Sex, Race, and the City: New Histories of Houston,' a history of the city that centers its sexual and racial past.  Outside these pursuits, he enjoys spending time with his husband and their two dogs.  You can learn more about him at https://profiles.rice.edu/faculty/brian-riedel.

On the night of December 31, 1862, enslaved and free African Americans gathered, many in secret, to ring in the new year and await news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. Just a few months earlier, on September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the executive order that declared enslaved people in the rebelling Confederate States legally free. However, the decree would not take effect until the clock struck midnight at the start of the new year. (Source: The Smithsonian Institute)

Join us at The Heritage Society on 1100 Bagby Street, HTX 77002

Saturday, December 28, 10 AM – 11:30 AM

Tuesday, December 31, 10 AM – 11:30 AM

Performances by Actress Kijana Wiseman and Poet Dr. Don Williams

Experience a historic houses tour with re-enactments of Watch Night known as “Freedom's Eve,” marks when African Americans across the country watched and waited for the news of freedom. Today, Watch Night is an annual New Year's Eve tradition in places of worship that includes the memory of slavery and freedom, reflections on faith, and celebration of community and strength.

On the night of December 31, 1862, enslaved and free African Americans gathered, many in secret, to ring in the new year and await news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. Just a few months earlier, on September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the executive order that declared enslaved people in the rebelling Confederate States legally free. However, the decree would not take effect until the clock struck midnight at the start of the new year. (Source: The Smithsonian Institute)

Join us at The Heritage Society on 1100 Bagby Street, HTX 77002

Saturday, December 28, 10 AM – 11:30 AM

Tuesday, December 31, 10 AM – 11:30 AM

Performances by Actress Kijana Wiseman and Poet Dr. Don Williams

Experience a historic houses tour with re-enactments of Watch Night known as “Freedom's Eve,” marks when African Americans across the country watched and waited for the news of freedom. Today, Watch Night is an annual New Year's Eve tradition in places of worship that includes the memory of slavery and freedom, reflections on faith, and celebration of community and strength.

“From Plantation to Emancipation – The Freedom Experience” is a “Houston Signature Experience” by Visit Houston

During your tour of three historic houses that tell Houston’s stories from plantation to emancipation, the talented actor brings the hardships of slavery and the victory of freedom to life in dramatic reenactments. The historical script was written by Martha Whiting-Goddard, Reverend Jack Yates’ great granddaughter, who lived in the Yates House that was relocated to Sam Houston Park.

Explore the following three houses that are designated by UNESCO as Sites of Memory for their “Routes of Enslaved Peoples’ Project” - 1847 Kellum-Noble House; 1866 Fourth Ward Cottage; and 1870 Yates House. “Sites of Memory,” or “Sites of Conscience” are historic places that activate the power of memory to engage the public in a deeper understanding of the past, inspiring action to shape a more just future. These sites break the silence surrounding slavery, and place the tragedy into our universal memory. It is only through dialogue that we can have peace and reconciliation. We have a duty to remember the crimes committed against humanity by our ancestors, especially as we see the return of prejudice and discrimination today.

Starring Kijana Wiseman, M.Ed.! You will be enchanted by Kijana’s dynamic and versatile performances in the realms of theatrical and communicative arts. An award-winning lyric coloratura soprano with an impressive 3.5-octave range, she has garnered accolades such as the City of Houston Talent Competition and the national APCA Best College Performing Artist of the Year. Her interactive one-woman show, The Griot, was honored as the Best College Diversity Program. Kijana’s theatrical journey began in her childhood at Houston’s Theatre Inc. and Alley Theatre, where she played numerous lead roles in both musicals and plays. She holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Houston and a Master’s degree specializing in African Theatre, achieved through joint studies at Texas Southern University and the University of Liberia, West Africa.

The talented reenactor, Khi Stephens, brings the hardships of slavery and the victory of freedom to life through song, a Library of Congress slave narrative, and a portrayal written by a descendant of the Reverend Jack Yates. Stephens studied theater in Los Angeles and was coached by Martha Whiting-Goddard on her roles.

From Plantation to Emancipation – The Freedom Experience begins on Saturday, February 10 in celebration of Black History Month. These 90-minute tours are offered on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month; from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to make a reservation at least two (2) weeks in advance. To make a reservation or to request more information, call 713-655-1912 or email tours@heritagesociety.org.

Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to your tour time for parking and walking through our campus to the museum gallery for check-in. Free parking is available at 212 Dallas Street.

Bring the family to 1100 Bagby Street to buy wonderfully, unique gifts from local small businesses. Entry is free both Friday and Saturday evening.

Bring the family to 1100 Bagby Street to buy wonderfully, unique gifts from local small businesses. Entry is free both Friday and Saturday evening.

Family in town? We are running a Thanksgiving special of $5 off each ticket for our popular historic house tour with re-enactments by the talented Kijana Wiseman to encourage family outings. Tickets are here: Elevated Tour Experience - Black History — The Heritage Society

“From Plantation to Emancipation – The Freedom Experience” is a “Houston Signature Experience” by Visit Houston

During your tour of three historic houses that tell Houston’s stories from plantation to emancipation, the talented actor brings the hardships of slavery and the victory of freedom to life in dramatic reenactments. The historical script was written by Martha Whiting-Goddard, Reverend Jack Yates’ great granddaughter, who lived in the Yates House that was relocated to Sam Houston Park.

Explore the following three houses that are designated by UNESCO as Sites of Memory for their “Routes of Enslaved Peoples’ Project” - 1847 Kellum-Noble House; 1866 Fourth Ward Cottage; and 1870 Yates House. “Sites of Memory,” or “Sites of Conscience” are historic places that activate the power of memory to engage the public in a deeper understanding of the past, inspiring action to shape a more just future. These sites break the silence surrounding slavery, and place the tragedy into our universal memory. It is only through dialogue that we can have peace and reconciliation. We have a duty to remember the crimes committed against humanity by our ancestors, especially as we see the return of prejudice and discrimination today.

Starring Kijana Wiseman, M.Ed.! You will be enchanted by Kijana’s dynamic and versatile performances in the realms of theatrical and communicative arts. An award-winning lyric coloratura soprano with an impressive 3.5-octave range, she has garnered accolades such as the City of Houston Talent Competition and the national APCA Best College Performing Artist of the Year. Her interactive one-woman show, The Griot, was honored as the Best College Diversity Program. Kijana’s theatrical journey began in her childhood at Houston’s Theatre Inc. and Alley Theatre, where she played numerous lead roles in both musicals and plays. She holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Houston and a Master’s degree specializing in African Theatre, achieved through joint studies at Texas Southern University and the University of Liberia, West Africa.

The talented reenactor, Khi Stephens, brings the hardships of slavery and the victory of freedom to life through song, a Library of Congress slave narrative, and a portrayal written by a descendant of the Reverend Jack Yates. Stephens studied theater in Los Angeles and was coached by Martha Whiting-Goddard on her roles.

From Plantation to Emancipation – The Freedom Experience begins on Saturday, February 10 in celebration of Black History Month. These 90-minute tours are offered on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month; from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to make a reservation at least two (2) weeks in advance. To make a reservation or to request more information, call 713-655-1912 or email tours@heritagesociety.org.

Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to your tour time for parking and walking through our campus to the museum gallery for check-in. Free parking is available at 212 Dallas Street.

Educated in the "Texas state of mind" she never questioned that she'd spend her life telling the stories about the state and the people who make its past, present, and future.

Meet Texas History and Houston History Author Lora-Marie Bernard at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 4, 2024, when Mister McKinney of Mister McKinney's Historic Houston opens the fall season with enchanting stories about Texas. View the show on Facebook or Instagram on his free, online program that also highlights history happenings at The Heritage Society.

About the Author

Lora-Marie Bernard writes nonfiction books about Texas. She has been called one of the state's best storytellers by Texana Reads. 

She was the 2018 recipient of the Dan Parkinson Literary Award for her efforts to preserve Texas culture through literature. She is the 2020 recipient of the Catherine Munson Foster Memorial Award for Literature in recognition of her efforts to increase the public’s understanding of Texas and its people.

During her time as a Texas-based journalist and communicator, she won numerous Associated Press awards and national press honors for her public affairs and investigative reporting. Early in her career, she earned the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award.

As a Washington D.C. field correspondent, she served as an international radio commentator, journalist and photographer for the 2017 Trump presidential campaign, the 2018 Texas U.S. Senate Race, the Washington D.C. Women's March, and Hurricane Harvey.

She earned her master’s degree in liberal arts extension studies from Harvard University in 2018. She earned her undergraduate degree from the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas. She is the Vice President of the Southeast Texas Museum. She also serves as an international Corporate Board member for the Alumnae-i Network for Harvard Women. 

There's nothing more fun than buying yourself some everyday glamourous jewelry for the City of Houston's 188th Birthday. Look splendid and shop for a great cause...Houston's history museum. The party in store is happy hour time 4- 6 p.m. at 714 Yale Street. Come model jewelry with us and enjoy sweets, sips, and balloons. RSVP to info@heritagesociety.org.

Can't make the party? SHOP ONLINE THESE TWO DAYS: Your unique giveback code is GIVEBACK-HBMZF and will be live from Wednesday, 8/28 - Thursday, 8/29. 1) Code MUST be entered at the time of checkout to calculate 20% giveback to The Heritage Society. 2) The giveback code cannot be combined with another code.

August 30th is Houston's birthday!  Come see how tomorrow's leaders rally for Houston's future with today's City leadership in celebration of Houston's history. This is an energetic, rally event on Saturday, August 24.  

Free Houston History Bus Tours at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. First come, first serve.

It's time for our annual celebration with the League of Women Voters Houston. This year, we will be celebrating on Saturday, August 24 at 3:00 PM during the Happy Birthday Houston event with City leaders and Youth leaders. RSVP here.

Did you know we have Women's History Tours year-round?  Since we are closed on Monday the 26th, we are offering BUY ONE GET ONE FREE TICKETS on Saturday, August 24.  Our tour times are 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Book your tickets here.

Houston – A Second Choice City

Texans are a proud lot, and Houston is no exception. Jesse Jones even remarked in a 1954 letter, as Houston achieved a population of one million people, “Looking at the map, the United States rests of Texas and Texas rests on Houston.”

But not everyone has seen it that way. Looking back at some of the city’s significant turning points, Houston was not the first choice of location. From the city’s founding in 1836 to getting the Houston Ship Channel, the 1928 Democratic Convention, and NASA, Houston was an also-ran, but its city leaders had the last laugh.

 About the Speaker

Debbie Harwell received her doctorate in U.S. history from the University of Houston where, since 2009, she has served as the managing editor/editor of Houston History magazine, published by the UH Center for Public History. A native Houstonian, she incorporates personal knowledge with historical research in teaching, writing for the magazine, and training the staff.

Since 2012, Harwell has taught a Houston history and public history methods classes in the Honors College and History, learning to research, conduct oral histories, and write for a public audience. In addition to her work at Houston History, Harwell’s book, Wednesdays in Mississippi: Proper Ladies Working for Radical Change, Freedom Summer 1964, won the 2015 Julia Cherry Spruill Prize for the best book in southern women’s history. She currently serves on the Harris County Historical Commission.

Join Us for the “From Plantation to Emancipation Tour”, a Visit Houston Signature Experience!

Saturday, July 27 at 12:30 p.m. - Actress Khi Stephens and a tour guide breathe life into the struggles and triumphs of those who lived through the times of slavery and the jubilation of freedom. The stories, steeped in authenticity, draw from a script penned by Martha Whiting-Goddard, a direct descendant of Reverend Jack Yates, and once a resident of one of the featured houses you explore.
The 1847 Kellum-Noble House, the 1866 Fourth Ward Cottage, and the 1870 Yates House—each one a UNESCO-designated Site of Memory —stand as pillars of remembrance. As you wander through these homes, you are not just walking through museum exhibits; you are transported to a different era, where each room tells a story of endurance and each artifact a testament to the indomitable human spirit.

Tom Moser was born and raised in Houston.  He began his career 50 plus year career in the aerospace industry at NASA, where he participated in every U.S.  human space flight program from Mercury to the Space Station.  He served as the Chief Engineer at the Johnson Space Center and as senior manager in the Apollo, Space Shuttle and Space Station Programs in Houston and Washington, D.C. When he retired to Kerrville in 1997, he immediately failed retirement when he became the Executive Director of the Texas Aerospace Commission for Governor George W. Bush.  He established commercial Spaceports in Texas.  Space-X is operating at the south Texas Spaceport. He failed retirement again, when he was elected Kerr County Commissioner for three terms. He has been interested in the Truth regarding “Global Warming” and CO2 for over 30 years.  As such he founded the “Right Climate Stuff” 12 years ago.  An organization of retired NASA colleagues and other scientists with the objective of disseminating the Truth regarding Climate Change. Tom has multiple engineering degrees and studies from the University of Texas, University of Pennsylvania and Rice University.  He is a distinguished graduate of the UT College of Engineering and a Fellow of National and International Aerospace organizations. He and his wife, Ginnie, have four children and ten grandchildren.

He will have 5 NASA Alumni guests with him who will astound you with facts about how we became Space City.

Join Writers in the Schools and META4 Houston for the Space City Slam Weekend, a two-day poetry slam and workshop festival in the city of Houston, TX. Over the course of two days, poets and slam teams from across the country will compete, learn, and form community together.

Youth poets and slam teams ages 13-19 are welcome. 

What is a slam?

A poetry slam is a competitive event in which poets perform spoken word poetry before a live audience and a panel of judges. Slams can be loud and lively, with audience participation, cheering and dramatic delivery.

What is Meta4?

As 2023 Brave New Voices International Champion Meta4 Houston is the face of the youth poetry slam scene in Houston. Each year hundreds of teens compete at the Space City Slam Series, vying for one of six coveted spots on the Meta4 team. Meta4 Houston takes the voices of youth to powerful new heights through one-on-one mentorship as well as local and national performance opportunities.

2024 Space City Slam Weekend Registration Application

If you are interested in attending/competing in the 2024 Space City Slam Weekend, please submit your application by Thursday, June 27, 2024. For more information, please contact outspoken@witshouston.org.

THIS IS AN EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS’ EVENT FOR YOU AND A GUEST TO ATTEND A RECEPTION WITH THE ASTRODOME CONSERVANCY

Members: You and a guest are invited to enjoy a history exhibit featuring 92 years of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and congregate with like-minded preservationists who value saving structures that define our great City.  We would like to thank the HLSR Western Art Committee and guest speaker Richard Gruen, also known as "Flame the Rodeo Clown".

Richard is an active community volunteer who moved to Houston in 1970 after receiving his master’s degree in education from the University of Iowa. His professional career included almost 50 years as a nonprofit program director and fundraising professional. In February 2018 he retired from Today’s Harbor for Children, formerly Boys & Girls Harbor, after working for 13 years as their Director of Development and Communications.

He is a Life Member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and this year marks his 25th year as a volunteer on the Speakers Committee. In addition to speaking to business and civic groups about RODEOHOUSTON, he also spends time telling children and adults about the Rodeo as “FLAME” the Rodeo Clown. In 2002, 2022 and 2023 he received the Committee’s “Speaker of the Year” award. He has also been recognized as one of the Committee’s “Top Producers” five times and in 2012 he was named “Top Special Events Speaker”. After serving as a vice chairman for three years, this year he is the captain of the “Future Leaders” team where he serves as a mentor for new Speakers Committee members.

Community involvement includes membership in the Rotary Club of Houston Heights and the Optimist Club of Downtown Houston. He currently serves on the Board of the Apollo Chamber Players, a nonprofit string quartet, and the Board of the Rotary Club of Houston Heights Charitable Foundation. In addition to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Speakers Committee, he is also a Team Captain for the Astros Foundation Volunteer Corps, and volunteers at other charitable organizations in the Greater Houston area. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting museums and bass fishing.