This Saturday: Lenwood Johnson @ Sedition Books
posted by Free Press Houston @ 9:04 AM
Most folks call it '4th Ward'. Those who know the deep history it embodies call it Freedmen's Town. This Houston neighborhood, that has been the continuing victim of gentrification and demolition, is truly an unappreciated piece of the history that many local politicians and developers would gladly wipe from the face of the city. The bricks on many of the historic streets in Freedmen's Town were hand made over a century ago by freed slaves and then laid into streets. Freedman's Town is on the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest African American community in Houston. This Saturday September 29th, longtime activist Lenwood Johnson will speak on the history of the area and the profound implications it has on the current state of Freedmen's Town at Sedition Books. Anyone who has heard this man speak know his words are both passioned and profound. Try not to miss this one.
The supporters and members of the Freed Man's Neighborhood Association meet on Tuesday nights at 7PM at 1111 Genesee Street and welcome support. For more information, contact Lenwood Johnson at 281-709-3001
2 Comments:
I heard lenwood on 90.1 the other day and though he is old, he still gives em' hell..
I have been reading about Mr. Johnson's fight to save APV. The stories just seem to stop at his last stand and take up again at the rebuilding of the APV for low income residents. I would like to know what made the city change their minds and build for low income residents instead of selling out to investors. There is a lot of history there in Freeman Town. Many of our young aa well as distant older people do not know all of this history. I think that field trips for our children should be scheduled to the area to show this historical area to our youth, much like the ones that are made to the park near the library downtown where the historical houses are. I spent the first 2 years of my life 50 years ago, visiting an aunt in Freeman Town and the 3rd year living there. I now attend a church there very close to the cemetary at Valentine. I am sad to say that I was unaware that this was the same area that I lived in as a young child. I will tell all teachers and historians to take their children and others to this area to visit especially but not limited to black history month.
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