Freedmen’s Town, Houston’s historic heart of African American culture, is getting a fresh breath of life!

A teacher-certification scheme has been uncovered, leading to the arrest of several education officials, including LaShonda Roberts, an assistant principal at Jack Yates High School.

Join the Houston Life team in exploring Houston’s connection to Juneteenth with a trip to The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park in Downtown Houston.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is gearing up for Black Heritage Day! 🤠 KPRC 2 is live from NRG Park this morning ahead of tonight's concert with rapper 50 Cent! #BlackHeritageDay #HoustonRodeo 🐎

This Black History Month, the Houston Heritage Society is inviting the community to join their tour where you can learn about past leaders who helped shape Houston.

This Black History Month, join us in celebrating the rich history of Emancipation Park, the oldest park in Houston and the state of Texas! 🎉

This Black History Month, join us in celebrating the rich history of Emancipation Park, the oldest park in Houston and the state of Texas! 🎉

Houston is rich in Black culture and one local influencer is making sure its historic sites built by influential African Americans are not forgotten.

“It’s nothing we aren’t used to,” HISD athletic director Andre Walker said. “We have done this many times before in HISD, but it’s just been different teams. Now it’s Booker T. Washington’s turn. The district really feeds off what basketball is doing right now, and I hope to be making this drive to State in a few months with soccer.”

A principal from one of the largest Houston Independent School District high schools has been relieved of her duties, effective immediately, according to officials.

THE BATON HAS BEEN PASSED FOR THE MONIKER OF THE BEST (BASKETBALL BRAND) IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. YATES WON FOUR STATE TITLES FROM 2009 TO 2014, BUT OVER THE PAST DECADE, ATASCOCITA IS ARGUABLY THE BRAND. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF COACH DAVID MARTINEZ, THE EAGLES HAVE BEEN TO THREE OF THE PAST SEVEN STATE TOURNAMENTS. IT’S “THE” PROGRAM IN H-TOWN RIGHT NOW. WHO WILL RUN THEM DOWN?

Here’s a look at some of the key Houston historical anniversaries coming up during this particular calendar year.

Houston Independent School District Board of Education has approved renaming Jack Yates Field after George Floyd.

Emancipation Park is located in Houston’s Third Ward, and is a great place for community members to gather and celebrate Juneteenth. This year, they have been presenting virtual programs on their online platforms throughout the month of June, with support from corporate partners like Shell.

Emancipation Park is a historical park and the first and only park built by freed slaves for a gathering place for African Americans and it's history continues to live on today.

Even though it was delayed by just a few days, the 2021 UIL Boys Basketball playoffs have officially begun in Houston. We will continue to update this story throughout the day as scores, highlights and more comes in. Jack Yates defeats Sealy 95-71Jack Yates showed its force again as it not suprisingly opened the playoffs with a double-digit win and nearly hitting the 100-point mark. Memorial defeats Westbury 62-51The Mustangs win first round of the playoffs 62-51!! AdFort Bend Hightower defeats Waltrip 100-43Hightower Boys with the win over Waltrip.

They decided to name the land Emancipation Park. From then on out, the community gathered at Emancipation Park every Juneteenth with festive celebrations that included music, food and dancing. For a while, Emancipation Park was the only park and swimming pool that African Americans could use since Texas was still a segregated state. In 2017, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, the OST/Almeda Redevelopment Corridors, Emancipation Park Conservancy, and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department rededicated Emancipation Park after an extensive renovation process. AdPeople from different walks of life visit Emancipation Park, cherishing all of the amenities and honoring historical information that the park has to offer.

HOUSTON – It was known as the only park blacks were able to congregate at and is now known as the oldest park not only in Houston, but in the state of Texas. The effort in getting Emancipation Park was led by the Reverend Jack Yates, a Baptist minister and former slave. His church, Antioch Baptist, and Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church formed the Colored People’s Festival and the Emancipation Park Association. President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation and published it on January 1, 1863, but it did not reach Texas for two years. The park now host several in-person and now virtual programs which can be found by clicking here.

HOUSTON – In January of 1866, seven months after slaves were freed in Texas (June 19, 1865), a small group of freed slaves organized the first African American Baptist Church in Houston, Texas naming it the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. In 1868, one of Antioch’s members, Jack Yates, was ordained at the first Association meeting for African American Baptist Churches. Yates led the church to purchase its present site and build a brick structure. Antioch provided the former slaves with opportunities to learn not only about God, but also provided ministries to help them develop educationally, economically and socially. AdChurch Services:Sundays at 9:00 am for Sunday School followed by Worship Services and Children’s Church at 10:15 am.

Jack Yates basketball is a brand. It's a household name in the city, State of Texas, and for that fact, the nation. The Lions were going for "one for the thumb" last season – their fifth state title. Tyron Bailey, John Carswell and JaBraylon Vaughn will be the pesky guards taking a volume of shots for the Lions' up-tempo offense. To purchase VYPE's 2020-21 BASKETBALL PREVIEW, CLICK HERE.

Welcome to a new VYPE feature for the 2020 football season - VYPE Helmet Stickers! Every week, VYPE will scour the stat sheets of the previous week and find the top performers. Article Powered by Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports MedicineHouston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine is Houston's leading provider of orthopedic services — from diagnosis to treatment to rehabilitation — to manage all musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine offers comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative services with a high standard of excellence for elite athletes and active adults alike. Houston Methodist serves as the official health care provider for the Houston Texans, Houston Astros, Rice Athletics, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™, Houston Ballet, Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera.

It is time to see who the winners for team, coach and athlete of the year at the 2020 VYPE Awards presented by Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. Tweet photos and videos and tag VYPE Houston on Twitter! Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine is Houston's leading provider of orthopedic services, from sports medicine to joint replacement. Houston Methodist offers comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative services with a high standard of excellence for elite athletes, active adults and student athletes. Houston Methodist serves as the official health care provider for the Houston Texans, Houston Astros, Rice Athletics, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Houston Ballet, Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera.