Black Voter Suppression in the Rio Grande Valley

 Rio Grande Valley: Radicalized Governance, Language Barriers, and the Politics of Access

Voter suppression the Rio Grande Valley, which comprises of Hidalgo County, Cameron County, Starr County, and Willacy County is unlike most other areas in the Southern USA where voter suppression is carried out on the basis of color division between whites and blacks, the aforementioned area constitutes a case of voter suppression that has racial, linguistic, and economic aspects. However, although it has been said to have more or less a Latino history, it has also seen the influence of Blacks, especially in Brownsville and McAllen.

Early History: Segregation, Labor, and Racial Hierarchies

Whereas the plantation system was dominant in the Upper Gulf Coast, the emergence of the Rio Grande Valley was marked by the emergence of ranches, farms, and labor exchange across the borders. Following the U.S-Mexico war, the political elites dominated by Anglo took control of the area, excluding Black and Mexican populations from accessing positions of power (Montejano, 1987).

Although the population of Blacks was lower than in other areas, they, together with Latino population, had to endure discrimination and segregation. While discrimination during Jim Crow in South Texas was not limited to just black and white discrimination, Mexican Americans were also discriminated against (Montejano, 1987).

Twentieth Century: Discrimination, Language Suppression, and Political Control

Political control in the Rio Grande Valley area in the early to mid-twentieth century occurred through local political machines like patronage systems employed by persons such as George B. Parr of the neighboring Duval County. Notwithstanding that these systems were not confined only to the Valley area, their influence could be seen in regional politics due to the significance of controlling access to the ballot box and its outcomes.

The problem of language was the most prominent factor for exclusion in those times. Hispanic voters, including African Americans living in bilingual areas, had limited access to voting materials. Prior to federal intervention, English language voting methods led to the disenfranchisement of people who did not speak English (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 2018).

Under the additional requirements made by the extended provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Section 203), bilingual voting documents were necessary in areas where language minorities prevailed. It was particularly essential for the Rio Grande Valley, as Spanish ballots influenced voter participation directly.

Civil Rights Litigation and Federal Enforcement

The valley has been at the core of several legal battles surrounding the matter of voter discrimination. For example, United States v. Texas, which occurred in 1970, was a lawsuit filed against the state by the federal government in relation to their neglect of protecting the rights of minority voters.

For example, various counties in South Texas have faced criticism due to lack of language help and voting policies, which discriminate against the minorities. This is an example of how discrimination occurs in the Rio Grande Valley through violations in administration rather than any legal restrictions (United States Department of Justice [DOJ], 2021).

Contemporary Voter Suppression: Access, Language, and Economic Barriers

Modern voter suppression in the Rio Grande Valley operates through a combination of structural and administrative mechanisms that disproportionately affect minority voters, including Black residents.

1. Language Access Barriers

1. Although federal law requires bilingual election materials, compliance has been inconsistent. In some counties, limited availability of Spanish-language assistance and poll workers reduces effective access to the ballot (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 2018).

2. Economic and Transportation Constraints

1. The Rio Grande Valley is one of the poorest regions in Texas, with high rates of poverty and limited access to transportation. These conditions create significant barriers to voting, particularly when polling locations are sparse or early voting options are limited (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023).

3.  Administrative Complexity

1. Voter registration requirements, identification laws, and procedural changes disproportionately affect voters in regions with lower educational attainment and limited access to government services. These barriers function as indirect suppression by increasing the cost of participation.

4. Policing and Voter Intimidation Concerns

1. Recent election cycles have raised concerns about aggressive election enforcement measures in South Texas, including investigations into alleged voter fraud. While framed as integrity measures, these actions can deter participation in communities with historical distrust of law enforcement (DOJ, 2021).

Voter Turnout and Regional Patterns

Despite these barriers, the Rio Grande Valley has demonstrated relatively strong voter participation in recent elections, though turnout remains uneven.

In the 2024 general election:

• Hidalgo County reported approximately 52% turnout (Hidalgo County Elections, 2024)

• Cameron County reported approximately 54% turnout (Cameron County Elections, 2024)

• Starr County reported approximately 48% turnout (Starr County Elections, 2024)

• Willacy County reported approximately 46% turnout (Willacy County Elections, 2024)

These numbers are usually lower compared to areas that are richer or located in cities within the state of Texas. Moreover, fluctuations regarding voter turnouts have been noticeable among people living in the Valley during the recent electoral periods (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023).

Conclusion: Expanding Access in a Multiracial Context

However, the case of the Rio Grande Valley reveals that the phenomenon of voter disenfranchisement cannot be considered only from the point of view of interactions between whites and Blacks because more complicated mechanisms operate here. The issues of language, poverty, and bureaucracy become problems for various communities of voters.

The solutions must be found through a variety of approaches including stronger protection for language minority voters; provision of greater opportunities for polling places; and economic measures aimed at enhancing their financial condition.

Thus, the issue of equitable access to elections cannot be considered without taking into account the linguistic diversity and economic difficulties that exist in the community.

References

Cameron County Elections. (2024). Election results.

Department of Justice (DOJ). (2021). Voting rights enforcement in Texas.

Hidalgo County Elections. (2024). Election results.

Montejano, D. (1987). Anglos and Mexicans in the making of Texas.

Starr County Elections. (2024). Election results.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Demographic data.

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (2018). Voting access in rural and minority communities.

Willacy County Elections. (2024). Election results.

Black Voter Suppression in the Upper Gulf Coast

 

Historical Roots and Voter Suppression in the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas

The Upper Gulf Coast region of Texas, including: Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Galveston, Waller, and others surrounding counties, are home to some of the best preserved histories of African American political history in the nation. This is exemplified by events such as delayed emancipation in Galveston to current day redistricting court cases and disparities in voter turnout in the greater Houston area (Office of County Administration, 2024).

Early History and the Civil War

Before the outbreak of the Civil War, the Upper Gulf Coast had existed under a plantation economy system, especially in Brazoria and Matagorda counties, where there were more slaves than whites in population (Texas State Historical Association, n.d.). This was instrumental in laying a basis for Black politics in the area following emancipation and also served as motivation for whites to maintain control in the post-slavery period.

The most important thing that happened during the Civil War period in the region took place on June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger of the Union army declared General Order No. 3 in Galveston announcing the end of slavery to Texan slaves (TSHA, n.d.). This date is marked today as Juneteenth. The significance of this day was that the freedom granted to slaves did not come right away, thus, setting precedence for future discrimination against blacks.

Reconstruction and Post-Reconstruction Disenfranchisement

Black political engagement was swiftly established during the Reconstruction period. In Harris County, numerous black citizens were registered in the 1870s, and police protection had to be provided for elections because of threats to use force (Houston History Magazine, 2012). Freedmen’s Town in Houston became a hub for the Black community’s activities, with its own independent institutions, supporting the formation of politics in the area (ABC13, 2023).

Nevertheless, such advances were short-lived. In Matagorda County, the assault on the Vann Settlement, committed in 1887, shows an example of direct violence perpetrated against the Black community (TSHA, n.d.). In Fort Bend County, the convict lease, demonstrated by the findings of the “Sugar Land 95,” was a form of labor used to replace slavery (Fort Bend ISD, n.d.).

In terms of formal disenfranchisement, poll taxes, literacy tests, and white primaries were employed. The latter practice was contested in the Smith v. Allwright case that originated in Harris County. The Supreme Court ruling held that the use of racial exclusion in the process of voting was a violation of the Fifteenth Amendment (Smith v. Allwright, 1944). Although the case ended racial discrimination in primaries, it still persisted in other unspoken, but felt forms.

Political Leadership in the Twentieth Century

World War gave birth to the industrial and economic importance of the Upper Gulf Coast, especially Houston, which provided the platform for Black political leadership. Third Ward and Emancipation Park were some of the communities that served as platforms for organizing activities among the African Americans (ABC13, 2023).

This helped in developing prominent Black political leadership, with Barbara Jordan being one of them. Being elected to the U.S. Congress in 1972, she was the first Black Southern woman to be part of the U.S. House of Representatives. Her victory can be attributed to the positive effect of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Texas Highways, 2023).

The act provided for federal supervision of the state's voting rights by requiring preclearance and thus increased the number of registered and participating voters in Texas counties such as Harris and Fort Bend.

Upper Gulf Coast Region of Texas

Contemporary Methods of Voter Suppression: Mechanisms Specific to Counties

The contemporary methods of voter suppression in the Upper Gulf Coast employ race-neutral mechanisms, which nonetheless lead to discrimination.

In Galveston County, vote dilution constitutes the mechanism of voter suppression. The 2021 redistricting plan was found to be in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act since it diluted the votes of the Black and Latino populations (U.S. DOJ, 2023).

In Waller County, the problem of suppressing the voting rights of Prairie View A&M University students is an ongoing one. In Symm v. United States, the discriminatory practices of officials against Black student voters were raised, and such concerns still exist today (Symm v. United States, 1979).

In Harris County, the problems relate to the complexity of administration and unequal access. Although the county as a whole enjoys high levels of voter turnout, discrepancies among precincts continue, particularly in Black communities (OCA, 2024).

Voter Turnout and Structural Disparities

Recent turnout data illustrates variation across the region. In the 2024 general election:

• Harris County reported 58.84% turnout (OCA, 2024)

• Fort Bend County reported 65.43% turnout (Fort Bend County, 2024)

• Brazoria County reported 64.69% turnout (Brazoria County Clerk, 2024)

• Galveston County reported approximately 64% turnout (Community Impact, 2024)

• Montgomery County reported 68.03% turnout (Montgomery County Elections, 2024)

Although these figures indicate relatively strong overall participation, they obscure disparities within counties. Research consistently shows that turnout varies along racial and socioeconomic lines, reflecting both historical disenfranchisement and present-day barriers (OCA, 2024).

Conclusion: Education, Legal Battles, and Civic Engagement on a Local Level

The Upper Gulf Coast region is proof that voter disenfranchisement is not a static process but a dynamic system. From emancipation delayed by decades in Galveston to contemporary redistricting lawsuits and bureaucratic challenges, there is a clear discrepancy between legal rights and real accessibility.

Solving this issue will involve not only enforcing laws, especially under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, but also civic education and engagement at the grassroots level. It is vital to link historical events, such as Juneteenth, Freedmen’s Town, and Prairie View voting rights, to current voting methods.

In conclusion, the history of the Upper Gulf Coast proves that Black political activity was never a passive right but one that had to be won time and again.

References: 

ABC13. (2023). Freedmen’s Town and Juneteenth history.

Brazoria County Clerk. (2024). 2024 election results.

Community Impact. (2024). Galveston County turnout analysis.

Fort Bend County. (2024). Election summary report.

Fort Bend ISD. (n.d.). Sugar Land 95 historical findings.

Houston History Magazine. (2012). Reconstruction-era voting in Houston.

Montgomery County Elections. (2024). General election results.

Office of County Administration (OCA). (2024). Voter registration and participation in Harris County.

Smith v. Allwright, 321 U.S. 649 (1944).

Symm v. United States, 439 U.S. 1105 (1979).

Texas Highways. (2023). Barbara Jordan biography.

Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). (n.d.). Matagorda County and Vann Settlement entries.

U.S. Department of Justice. (2023). Galveston County redistricting decision.

Decades of Achievements: NASA's Space Exploration

If you have ever visited Fondren Library, you most likely have seen a small section featuring NASA and President John F Kennedy's speech “We choose to go to the Moon”. (Fun fact: We also have a small piece of the moon!). If you have ever wanted to learn more about space, keep reading to find more information.

Timeline

1958-1963 Project Mercury:

This was the nation’s “first human spaceflight” program. Six days after the establishment of NASA, 7 men were chosen as astronauts (the first time that term was used). They completed 6 missions with the goals to explore space and gather information for future missions.

[Source of the Image: NASA, In the Beginning: Project Mercury]

1964-1966 Project Gemini:

Days after Alan Shepard flew into space, President John F. Kennedy announced in his speech the goal for an American to walk on the moon. With 12 missions, the goal of Project Gemini was to work on the technology and exploration to achieve Kennedy’s statement.

[Source of the Image: NASA, Gemini I]

1962-1972 Project Apollo:

In 1966 on Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon. With 17 total missions, 6 of them were lunar landings to explore ways to prepare for future space exploration. The first lunar rover was also used in this project by Alfred M. Worden.

[Source of the Image: NASA, In the Beginning: Project Mercury]

1981-2011 Space Shuttle:

The first reusable spacecraft flew 135 missions. It behaved like a rocket, spacecraft, and airplane. It has managed satellites, conducted research, and built the largest structure in space. 

[Source of the Image: NASA, Space Shuttle]

1990 - Present Hubble Space Telescope:

Still being actively used, this telescope further space exploration by its high-resolution images of objects such as star constellations and dark matter. 

For America250, you can search up your birthday here to view a collection of pictures that were taken that day by the telescope.

[Source of the Image: NASA, Great Observatories: Hubble Space Telescope]

2022 - Present Artemis Program:

With a current plan of 5 missions, the main goal is to launch future missions at a quicker pace, determine what is needed for Mars landing, and further advance space exploration. The picture below features the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket configuration.

[Source of the Image: NASA, Moon to Mars | NASA's Artemis Program]

All the information above has been gathered from the NASA website. Feel free to check it out for further details on their missions. If you need assistance, just ask: email govhelp@rice.edu or visit Kelley Center information desk in the library basement.

🕵️ Continue Your Journey

• Visit our joint exhibit, "One Giant Leap: NASA Collections at the Woodson Research Center and Kelley Center," located in the Rice University Student Center. The exhibit highlights unique NASA-related collections preserved by both the Woodson Research Center and the Kelley Center, showcasing the history of space exploration, scientific discovery, and innovation.

• We also invite you to visit the Kelley Center for Government Information and Civic Engagement. Our staff can help you discover additional NASA and other government agencies' publications, educational materials, and multimedia collections to continue your exploration of space and beyond.

• Additionally, be sure to watch for upcoming programs and events that explore how space exploration has shaped America's legacy of discovery, innovation, and scientific achievement. You may be interested in attending the monthly NASA speaker series at the Ion to hear from NASA scientists, engineers, and industry experts about the latest developments in space exploration.

About the Author

Daira Posada is Kelley Center student staff, an undergraduate student in Computer Science at Rice University. This post was written as part of the 2026 America250@Fondren program.

Honoring America 250: A Journey to Freedom 

Handwriting: Declaration of Independence Edition

Other than the occasional paperwork signing and birthday cards, I have not practiced my cursive since elementary school. I find it interesting that while I had to practice it daily back then, it is no longer a common handwriting style. Typing might be the new standard.

With July 4th coming up. I was curious to see whether I would be able to read the Declaration of Independence. Surprisingly, I was able to read it, for the most part.

Independence Day is on July 4th! But why?

On July 4th, 1776, the U.S. officially adopted the Declaration of Independence. While numerous copies are available, the original is kept at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. You will see below that there were 2 main versions of the Declaration of Independence. Even though they say the same thing, you will notice that they still look very different. 

First Version: 

Printed by John Dunlap, this is the first version of the Declaration of Independence. The letters look more like something commonly printed today than cursive, making them more legible than the next version.

[Source of the Image: National Archives Catalog 301682, Dunlap Broadside]

Second Version:

The Second Continental Congress decided to make another copy of the Declaration of Independence a few weeks later. On July 19, 1776, Timothy Matlack wrote the version that we know today. 

This style of writing was chosen for its “elegance, authority, and anonymity”. Known as English roundhand/Copperplate, this handwriting is similar to italic cursive. 

Numerous factors have caused the ink to fade. The space at the bottom used to have signatures by numerous Founding Fathers and members of the Second Continental Congress.

[Source of the Image: National Archives Catalog 1419123, Engrossed Declaration of Independence]

In case you want to try reading this version of the Declaration of Independence, here is a clearer copy.

[Source of the Image:  National Archives Catalog 1656604, Print #3 of the Declaration of Independence]

If it’s still hard to read, there are transcriptions available if you are curious about what this version of the Declaration of Independence actually says, along with the signers’ names.

✍️ Interested in Learning Different Handwriting Styles? 

Calligraphy is beginner-friendly. It combines cursive with thick downward strokes and thin upward strokes.

First, you have to choose a writing utensil. 

1. Pencil/pen: easy to control how you want your letters to look due to its fine tips, but lettering might not look as smooth since each letter will require more than one streak. 

2. Marker: medium difficulty to control, but gives you more flexibility with colors and smoothness

3. Brush pen: hardest to control. But it allows for smooth handwriting, like with markers, and higher flexibility. These are typically used for calligraphy (thick downwards strokes and thin upwards strokes).

If you want calligraphy worksheets to trace over and tips: 

https://www.uprinting.com/blog/25-free-calligraphy-practice-sheets

🕵️ Ready to Dig Deeper?

The Kelley Center is here to help you investigate, discover, and learn. Just ask: email govhelp@rice.edu or visit us in the library basement.

🔍 Continue Your Journey

Visit our exhibit, Keeping America Informed: The Enduring Partnership Between Government Printing and Libraries for Public Access (1800s–Present), to explore how America's earliest government documents were printed and how a centuries-long partnership between the federal government and libraries has helped preserve our nation's documentary heritage and ensure free equal public access to government information—an essential foundation of an informed democracy.

📅 Upcoming Workshop: Reading and Interpreting Historical Cursive Writing 

Many historical letters, diaries, government records, and archival documents were written in cursive scripts that can be challenging for modern readers to decipher. To help researchers unlock these valuable primary sources, Fondren Library plans to offer a workshop on reading and interpreting cursive handwriting for historical research this fall. Stay tuned for more information. 

Upcoming July 1st - Exhibit: Landmark Documents (1776-2026)

It is a large-scale wall exhibit featuring 17 poster panels organized into eight historical periods, showcasing landmark U.S. government documents that have shaped the course of American history. From the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to today's digital and artificial intelligence era, these milestone documents chronicle the nation's evolving political, social, and technological landscape. Visitors will also find reflection questions, interactive activities, and QR codes connecting them to audio and visual resources for a richer learning experience. Complimentary bookmarks, buttons, stickers, and other giveaways are available at the Kelley Center Information Desk to enhance your visit. This exhibit was jointly curated by Kelley Center and Research Services Department.

About the Author

Daira Posada is Kelley Center student staff, an undergraduate student in Computer Science at Rice University. This post was written as part of the 2026 America250@Fondren program commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.