The Roots of Communities of Color: Exploring the Early Places where African Americans settled
by Tanya Dubose, Executive Director of Independence Heights Redevelopment Corp.

The Heritage Society Tea Room
Free for members, $5 for non-members

After emancipation, formerly enslaved African Americans settled in various places across the nation. While many of them enlisted in the sharecropping system, others went on to establish thriving communities that operated independently and autonomously in both rural and urban settings. Join us as we explore the journey of people of African descent by learning about the communities they established and the efforts being done to preserve these historically significant places. 

Tanya is a 4th generation descendant of the people who pioneered the historic community of Independence Heights. Once an independent municipality, Tanya has been working to preserve Independence Heights and other culturally and historically significant communities across America.  Recently, she spearheaded an initiative to establish the Harris County African American Cultural Heritage Commission that will focus on the protection of resources that reflect African American history and culture. She serves on the board of the Houston History Association and is a commissioner on the City of Houston's Preservation Board of Appeals.

If you would like to reserve a lunch please contact Sheryl Tyler at styler@heritagesociety.org or 713-655-1912 by Tuesday, February 18.