Betty Simmons, a Texan in Slavery’s Last Years
Narratives collected by the federal Works Progress Administration, like the one recounted here, are an invaluable tool for retelling American history.
History
In Mexico, Tensions Rise Again over 1944 Water Treaty
After decades of negotiations and even a dramatic occupation of a dam in Chiahuaha state, two nations struggle to find a compromise.
The Tower Sniper’s Wife
A new book from UT Press provides a troubling twist on the vow “until death do us part.”
Ghosts from Texas’ Past
Dispatch from a haunted—and historically fraught—building in Austin
My Great-Grandfather Was a Racist
Once we take down Confederate statues, Texans must still grapple with monsters in the past.
The Hill Country’s Lost Utopia
Searching for an egalitarian society in this red state
Not Your Everyday Snow Cone
An exploration of Bayou City's beautiful diversity through its finest shaved ice purveyors.
Poem: The Pantoum
The winning poem in the “What Juneteenth Means (To Me)” contest organized by Cyrus Cassells, 2021-22 Texas poet laureate.
It’s Time to Defend the History of All Texans
The way we learn about our collective past is under attack.
Oaxaca’s Silk Farmers Seek to Protect Their Way of Life
“I think protecting our silk is important because it’s produced differently than in other countries.”