If you've ever traveled through Texas, you've probably heard of Vidor, but have never really been there. The city is unremarkable, a humdrum stop on the interstate. In the Gulf station, the plump cashier looks skyward for help with her crossword puzzle. In the town, townies sit three high in pickup trucks, cruising and looking for eye contact. In front of Shirley's Coffee Shop, two cop cars park. Inside, the two assistant managers wear maroon ties and white short sleeves.
The racial tensions in Vidor had made the city undesirable. It was a small town without many blacks and no Black culture. There were no black churches, no black beauty products in the drugstores, no black garbagemen, and no copies of Jet or Ebony. The city's mayor, and several other local citizens, remarked that Vidor was trying to change. That sentiment was echoed by another newspaper, the Baytown Sun.
The city of Vidor is located in Texas. Vidor has a population of 13,700. However, it seems like fewer than two thousand. The population is a little small, but there are more than a dozen businesses in Vidor. It's a good place to start a family, or get to know a new city. There are even places to play golf, and a nearby 18-hole golf course. The city's police force has 17 officers, and a volunteer fire department with seven vehicles.
After the murder of a restless idealist, HUD had to take action. The case, known as Young v. Cisneros, was now a significant class action suit. Plaintiffs' lawyers were demanding federal money to build public housing in Vidor. HUD agreed to make Vidor the pilot project for the desegregation of the city. But, a new challenge faced the city and its government.