4. Beginning of the Fourth Ward
• 1865- Freedman’s Town
• 1870- The Gregory Institute
• 1876- Houston Independent School District
• 1915- Over 400 black owned businesses
• 1920- 1/3 of Houston population
• 1926- Gregory School brick structure (standing)
6. Why Our Oral Histories are Important
• Oral histories capture history from that
person’s point of view
• Primary source for different occurrences in
time
• Prove (or disprove) certain beliefs and ideas of
a particular point and time
• Document an untold history that would
otherwise go unknown
7. • This presentation provides the testimonies of
former students, teachers and residents of the
Fourth Ward describing their experiences
attending or teaching at The Gregory School,
living in the Fourth Ward, and interactions
with people beyond their neighborhood
borders.
28. The Gregory School Now
• 1984, The Gregory School closed it’s doors and
merged with another local elementary school,
Lincoln. After sitting vacant for over 25 years,
the City of Houston and HPL bought and
renovated the building which now houses The
African American Library at the Gregory
School.
30. The Gregory School Now
• Today, The African American Library at the
Gregory School serves as a resource and
repository to preserve, promote and celebrate
the history of African Americans in Houston
• Currently houses galleries, meeting rooms,
state of the art archive, digital lab, an oral
history studio, and a library
32. For More of Our Oral Histories
• Visit our website :
– www.thegregoryschool.org
• “Collections”
– Oral Histories
• Visit our Digital Archive site :
– www.digital.houstonlibrary.org
• African American Library at the Gregory School
