Fort Bend County is a county located in the United States, founded in 1837 and organized the following year. It is named after a small fort on a bend in the Brazos River. The county seat is Richmond, and the largest city located entirely within the county limits is Sugar Land. Before European settlement, the area was inhabited by Karankawa Indians.
Fort Bend developed a plantation economy based on cotton as a staple crop, with numerous African-American slaves as workers. In the 1850s, Fort Bend was one of six majority-black counties in Texas. In 1860, the slave population totaled 4,127, more than double that of the 2,016 whites. Few free blacks lived there, as Texas denied them entry.
Tensions between factions were fierce, as political elements were largely divided on racial grounds. The Jaybirds, who represented the majority of whites, fought to regain control of the Woodpeckers, which consisted of some whites who were consistently elected to public office by most African-Americans. Governor Lawrence Sullivan Ross sent militia and declared martial law. With their support, the Jaybirds ordered a list of certain Black and Woodpecker officials to leave the county, overthrowing the local government.
This device lasted until 1950, when Willie Melton and Arizona Fleming won a lawsuit against this practice in the United States District Court. In 1953, they finally won their lawsuit when the U. S. Supreme Court declared the Jaybird primary unconstitutional in Terry v.
Adams. Today, Fort Bend County is often considered an undecided county, and election results tend to lean more toward Democrats than state ones, which continue to favor Republicans. Home to cities such as Frisco, Plano, and McKinney, it is now the sixth-largest county in the state. Fort Bend County policy focuses on a commissioners court comprised of four county commissioners elected by the town and a county judge elected to represent the entire county. Other county officials include a sheriff, a district attorney, an assessor-tax collector, a county clerk, a district secretary, a county treasurer, and a county prosecutor.Fort Bend County also has the highest percentage of Asian Americans in the southern United States; the largest groups are of Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, and Filipino descent.
It is an important service area for the Houston Chronicle which provides separate local coverage for Sugar Land and Katy areas. The political differences between rural and urban areas in Fort Bend County are quite evident when looking at its history of racial tensions between factions divided on racial grounds; its population growth and demographic change; its political evolution; its excellent location; its varied housing stock; its autonomous government; its exemplary schools; its attractive parks; its excellent police department; its strong code enforcement; its service area for Houston Chronicle; and its highest percentage of Asian Americans in the southern United States. The history of Fort Bend County is marked by racial tensions between Jaybirds - representing most whites - and Woodpeckers - consisting of some whites who were consistently elected to public office by most African-Americans. This led to Governor Lawrence Sullivan Ross sending militia and declaring martial law in order to restore control to Jaybirds. This practice was eventually declared unconstitutional by U. S Supreme Court in Terry v.
Adams. The population growth and demographic change in Fort Bend County has been significant over time. It is now home to cities such as Frisco, Plano and McKinney and it is currently the sixth-largest county in Texas. Its population has also seen an increase in Asian Americans with Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian and Filipino descent being among the largest groups. The political evolution of Fort Bend County has seen it become an undecided county with election results leaning more towards Democrats than state ones which continue to favor Republicans. This autonomous government is based on a commissioners court comprised of four county commissioners elected by townspeople plus a county judge elected to represent all citizens. The excellent location of Fort Bend County makes it attractive for many reasons including its varied housing stock; its exemplary schools; its attractive parks; its excellent police department; its strong code enforcement; and its service area for Houston Chronicle. In conclusion, Fort Bend County has many differences between rural and urban politics that can be seen through its history of racial tensions between factions divided on racial grounds; its population growth and demographic change; its political evolution; its excellent location; its varied housing stock; its autonomous government; its exemplary schools; its attractive parks; its excellent police department; its strong code enforcement; its service area for Houston Chronicle; and its highest percentage of Asian Americans in the southern United States.
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