Houston Bound: How Migration Changed Notions Of Race In The Bayou City

We're all used to hearing Houston is the most diverse city in the country. But maybe you think of that accomplishment as a more recent development, from the last few decades or so.

But migration to Houston much further back in history – in the years between the two world wars – began to change the face of the city and challenge notions of race.

Dr. Tyina Steptoe writes about that migration in her book, Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow City. She grew up in Houston and is now an associate professor of History at the University of Arizona.

Steptoe is the keynote speaker at a conference Feb. 2-3 at the University of Houston called Houston Eats! Last September, she talked with Houston Matters producer Michael Hagerty about her research on race and culture in Houston.