March 15, 2024
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION African-American News&Issues
Vol. 29, Issue 09
FREE
History is His Story, not the Truth or Our Story. Black History is 24/7/365, not just 4 weeks
- Roy Douglas Malonson
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
MRS. WILLIE RUTH HARRIS
COWBOY INTEGRATED RIVERSIDE By: Clarence Walker
Houston’s Black History Month spotlights the story of a wealthy cattle rancher who broke the segregation barrier in an affluent all-white neighborhood. The captivating tale is another episode of Houston’s forgotten past. To get there, take a ride going south on 288 to MacGregor and explore the neighborhood’s natural beauty, popularly known as Riverside Terrace. Riverside Terrace’s exquisite upscale neighborhood exudes a vibe reminiscent of New Orleans rather than Houston, with grand Mid-Century Modern
residences gracing the meandering streets that align with the natural flow of the Braes Bayou watershed. Within the Riverside Terrace neighborhood, one can stumble upon striking Art Deco architectural marvels juxtaposed against lush overgrown lanes that intersect the winding streets, connecting them with the gentle streams that flow into the bayou. Developed in 1924, Riverside Terrace was built by prominent Jewish families of Houston who built their homes on the hilly landscape of southern downtown overlooking Brays
Riverside on pg. 3
May 7, 1927 – Mar 8, 2024
Willie Ruth Haynes Harris, 96, was born in Houston, Texas, May 7, 1927, to Earnest and Jeanette Haynes. She attended HISD schools and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1943. After graduation she attended a business training school where she received business and secretarial training. She then began working at HISD. She married her childhood sweetheart, Herbert Harris on January 25, 1946. From this union 12 children were born, six boys and six girls. She was a devoted wife and mother who leaned on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for guidance and strength to complete what she thought was her mission in life. She was her children’s first Bible teacher and diligently taught Bible lessons and stories. She taught her children to memorize verses and to quote them during Harris on pg. 4