Independence Heights, a historic Houston neighborhood, stands as a testament to black self-determination in Texas. In 1915, it became the first African American municipality incorporated in the state, offering a place where black residents could own land, build homes, and govern themselves amidst the constraints of the Jim Crow era.
The community traces its roots to the early 1900s. The Wright Land Company began developing the area for black residents, providing a crucial outlet in the face of discrimination in other parts of Houston. By 1915, with around 600 residents, Independence Heights had been formally incorporated. George O. Burgess, a black lawyer, served as the town’s first mayor.
Independence Heights flourished. Homeownership soared, fueled by accessible financing from the Wright Land Company. Residents created their own newspaper, the Houston Informer, and established schools like the Independence Heights School. Despite its vibrancy, financial pressures caused residents to vote for annexation by Houston in 1929.