Houston's 99-Year-Old Harper School Building Demolished Despite Preservation Efforts
The 99-year-old Harper School building in Houston, a significant landmark in the city's Black history, has been largely demolished. Construction crews began tearing down the structure on Center Street, near Washington and Studemont, less than a year after the HISD's state-appointed Board of Managers voted to sell the abandoned property to BKR Memorial IV, a limited liability company. The building, constructed in 1927, was a key part of Chaneyville, a thriving Black industrial neighborhood in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Houston Mayor John Whitmire had previously stated his intention to preserve the property after a fire in late July, calling it an "important piece of Houston's Black history." However, a demolition permit was filed shortly after, and despite protests from community members, including former students, the demolition proceeded. About half of the facade remained standing, but the lettering spelling "Harper School" was no longer visible.
