Behind the Headlines: Russia, Venezuela, and Turkey

What do Barbara Jordan, George Foreman, Ruth Simmons, Joe Sample, and Mickey Leland have in common? Each started their lives in Houston’s Fifth Ward and went on to achieve meteoric success. Meet today’s movers and shakers, among them Kathy Flanagan Payton and Harrison Guy, and discover what makes Fifth Ward special.

Settled by freedmen, the Fifth Ward received its name in 1866 when the City of Houston claimed it. Initially, the community was evenly split between Black and white residents, with their corresponding schools and churches. Jobs on the railroad, the developing Ship Channel, and related business supported the growing population. Areas such as Frenchtown
(fueled by the exodus from Louisiana after the devastating 1927 Mississippi River flood) and Kashmere Gardens became associated with Houston’s music history. Architectural historian Stephen Fox wrote that “in the 1940s and ‘50s, it was one of the most vibrant sectors of Houston.” Then, three factors contributed to the decline of the fortunes and desirability of the neighborhood: the construction of I-10 in the 1960s, followed by US-59, and the beginning of desegregation during the 1960s.

In 1989, the nonprofit Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation (FWCRC) was established to invest in the people and infrastructure of the neighborhood. Today FWCRC is a nexus of community investment providing housing, career support, business and commercial development, and support for the arts. We will visit neighborhood institutions such as the De Luxe Theater, Julia C. Hester House, and St. Elizabeth’s Place. In the recent past, St. Arnold’s Brewery, Meow
Wolf/Radio Tave, and the East River multi-use development have all sprung up on the edges of Fifth Ward, bringing attention to this often-overlooked community.

Kathy Flanagan Payton has served as the president and CEO of FWCRC since 1994. Harrison Guy is a dancer, choreographer, arts advocate, and director of arts and culture at the FWCRC.