The City That the Civil Rights Movement Forgot
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THE CITY THAT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT FORGOT: SEGREGATION AND COLLECTIVE MEMORY IN LUBBOCK, TX 1890-1990 A Dissertation by RAINLILLY ELIZONDO Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Carlos Blanton Committee Members, Albert Broussard Julia Blackwelder Glenn Chambers Lynn Burlbaw Head of Department, David Vaught May 2016 Major Subject: History Copyright 2016 Rainlilly Elizondo ABSTRACT This work uses previously unpublished primary documents and oral histories from several archives to demonstrate that the city of Lubbock, TX began a collective memory in 1955 that misrepresented the status of race relations, and allowed them to claim a civil rights movement was unnecessary even though protests and marches were occurring throughout the rest of the nation. This work lays out how the city council, main city newspaper, and the city’s Anglo population began constructing a post-racial narrative by touting that Lubbock Independent School District (LISD) voluntarily desegregated in 1955, suggesting that desegregation throughout the city followed without incident. The city built on this narrative by arguing that the city united during the aftermath of a 1970 tornado that tore through the city, ending all remaining remnants of segregation. However, as this study explores the events during the three decades following the 1970 tornado, such as the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against LISD, and the civil rights activity that occurred in the wake of the DOJ’s presence, it is made evident that the city’s collective memory is more myth than reality. Although some achievements were made towards racial equality during the three decades, the misrepresentative narrative is continuously pushed by the city, uncontested by the Anglo majority, and defiant that racial progress occurred by force. As a result the core of the city’s racial inequality remains, hindering future aspirations of its Mexican American and African American populations. ii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my maternal grandparents, Josephina and Pedro Rodriguez. It was their immigrant story that sparked my interest in Mexican American history. Growing up in poverty their education opportunities were severely limited. It was their love, support, and hope that I would have a better life than theirs that kept me going in my pursuit of higher education. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I began this project intending to look at relations between Mexican Americans and African Americans amidst court cases that integrated school districts across Texas. As I narrowed the scope of my project for logistical reasons I was torn between cities, but in the end something kept drawing me back to Lubbock. After living in Lubbock for two years, the city’s nonchalant attitude towards race relations in its history and stories of the desegregating tornado continued to tug at me, and so began my journey into the impact that collective memory has on race relations. This dissertation was only possible due to the hard work and assistance from so many others. Dr. Carlos Blanton, my advisor read countless drafts of this dissertation, helping to hone my discussion of race relations and collective memory. The rest of my committee, Drs. Albert Broussard, Julia Blackwelder, Glenn Chambers, and Lynn Burlbaw provided useful feedback, and great insight into my topic. The Formby Research Fellowship made much of my research possible and I am grateful for their support of my project. Just the same this project would not have been possible without those who took the time to tell me their stories, thank you. Thank you to the Texas Tech University Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library staff. Nicci Hester and Daniel Sanchez in particular were an immense help in tracking down sources, both written and oral. I am especially grateful to Jon Holmes who provided me feedback on my topic, source suggestions and just helped by talking out ideas with me. iv I also received excellent assistance from the staff at the Texas State Archive, Benson Latin American Collection, Mary and Jeff Bell Library, City of Lubbock, Lubbock Federal Court, and Barbara Rust at the National Archives-Southwest Region. During my time at Texas A&M the History department staff and graduate advisor helped to make life a little easier when I felt weighed down by all things bureaucracy in completing my degree. Thank you Mary Johnson, Rita Walker, and Barbara Dawson for being so wonderful. I would especially like to thank Dr. David Hudson, who is not only an awesome graduate advisor, answering endless questions about the graduate system but is a great teacher, and kind person. When I was a Texas A&M undergraduate he took the time to remember my name and when I returned to A&M for the doctorate program he welcomed me back, still remembering my name. It might seem like a little thing but when you attend a school with over 40,000 students little things like that make a big difference. Thank you to Drs. Jorge Iber and Miguel Levario from Texas Tech University for providing me support and guidance even when I was no longer officially their student. Thank you to the great friends I made during the graduate program for lending an ear when I needed to vent, and for making life all the more enjoyable. I would also like to thank my parents and sister for their support as I worked through the doctoral program. Finally, thank you to my husband Nathaniel Weber who while working on his own dissertation still took time to proofread mine, and provided me with endless love and support. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………….......ii DEDICATION………………………………………………………………………..…iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………..iv TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………….….…vi LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………...ix LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………..…..xi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………….…1 Background ............................................................................................................ 5 Historiography ...................................................................................................... 11 Chapter Description .............................................................................................. 42 CHAPTER II THE FOUNDATION OF LUBBOCK AND ITS MEMORY …………..45 Lubbock’s Early Years ......................................................................................... 46 Relocating West ................................................................................................... 54 Incorporation of Lubbock/City Leaders ............................................................... 55 East Lubbock ........................................................................................................ 56 Guadalupe Barrio ................................................................................................. 62 Hard Times, Easy Target ...................................................................................... 69 Lubbock Schools .................................................................................................. 73 Texas Tech Integrates…………………………………………………………...78 Concerned Citizens .............................................................................................. 86 Federal Intervention ............................................................................................. 91 CHAPTER III “A BLESSING IN DISGUISE”: MEMORY AND MYTH, LUBBOCK AND THE DESEGREGATION TORNADO OF 1970 …………………101 A Familiar Tale .................................................................................................. 103 “70 Year Record Crushed By Tornado” ............................................................ 105 Susceptible to the Storm ..................................................................................... 110 vi After the Stormy Night ....................................................................................... 116 Redeveloping the City ........................................................................................ 119 Like a Phoenix Rising from the Ashes ............................................................... 125 Temporary Housing Turned Permanent ............................................................. 130 Moving East ....................................................................................................... 134 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………..140 CHAPTER IV TWENTY YEARS UNDER THE COURTS EYE, 1970-1990………143 Background ........................................................................................................ 144 Historiography .................................................................................................... 145 Hopes for Integration ......................................................................................... 151 The DOJ and Federal Judge Woodward ............................................................ 154 DOJ Strategy: The Push for Immediate Integration ........................................... 156 Bond Election 1971 ............................................................................................ 159 Slow Progress ..................................................................................................... 161 Faculty Integration ............................................................................................. 163 The Problem with