Volume 1, Number 2

Civic Leadership Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 2004)
2	8F and Many More: Business and Civic Leadership in Modern Houston by Joseph A. Pratt For a half century beginning in the 1920s, George R. and German Brown rented suite 8F at the Lamar Hotel in downtown Houston. The phrase "the 8F crowd", which referred to the Brown brothers and others who frequented the suite, became shorthand for the small business elite that dominated Houston's political and civic affairs. This article places the 8F crowd in historical perspective by comparing their power to that of business leaders who came before and after them.
8	Carter Wesley and the Making of Houston's Civic Culture by Amilcar Shabazz Houston lawyer / newspaperman Carter Wesley became one of the most prominent black businessmen in the Jim Crow South. Through his news paper, the Houston Informer, he asserted a strong voice against segregation. At times, he crossed swords with national and local officials of the NAACP over strategy and tactics, but he never wavered in his quest for justice and equality for the black population of Houston.
14	Jesse Jones: A Conversation about "Mr. Houston" Steven Fenberg discusses his work in overseeing the making of the award-winning documentary about the career of Jesse Jones. Fenberg offers insights into Jones' emergence as "Mr. Houston," as well as his distinguished career as head of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and the Department of Commerce in the New Deal.
21	Parley of Prominence: The Houston Democratic National Convention of 1928 by Jon L. Gillum By hosting the Democratic National Convention in 1928, Houston announced its arrival as a young city on the move. In describing the events surrounding the convention, this article shows how Houstonians took advantage of their moment in the national spotlight.
24	In the Name of Decency and Progress: The Response of Houston's Civic Leaders to the Lynching of Robert Powell in 1928 By Dwight Watson On the eve of the 1928 Democratic National Convention, Houston experienced one of the only lynchings in its modern history. In response, the city?s white civic leaders sought to limit the damage to the city?s reputation by moving quickly to arrest those involved in the lynching. This article compares the reactions of the city?s black and white press while also noting the responses of the national press.

Want to subscribe to Houston History? Simply go to our Subscription Form and follow the instructions.

Now available at Brazos Bookstore 2421 Bissonnet. Between Kirby & Greenbriar.