January 23, 2009
***Covering the time period between 1820 and 1970, two books highlight the significant role that black Texans played in the development of the state. "The African American Experience in Texas: An Anthology" - edited by Bruce A. Glasrud and James M. Smallwood. The book discusses politics, slavery, religion, military experience, segregation and discrimination, civil rights, women and education in an anthology of essays put together for the first time."And Grace Will Lead Me Home: African American Freedmen Communities of Austin, Texas, 1865-1928" - by archivist Michelle M. Mears. The book focuses on the post-Civil War years when many freed slaves in central Texas traveled to Austin to start new lives in or near the capital city. At least 15 communities were founded. The book details how Austin's freedmen communities grew from 1865 to 1928, until the city implemented a master plan that encouraged blacks to move into a single section of town. Mears's careful combing of archival sources fleshes out life's amenities as well as the essentials of life for freedmen and their families. Available June 2009. For more information on these books, contact Barbara Brannon, marketing manager, Texas Tech University Press, (806) 742-2982 or via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org.