Dealey Plaza History / Dallas History / The ‘Right Wing’ Direction of Dallas

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D in the Heart of Texas

Jerry T. Dealey

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The ‘Right Wing’ Direction of Dallas - "City of Hate" Revisited (Part 1)

Early History of Texas
The Europeans and American Settlers
John Neely Bryan – And Other Early Founders
Some Wheeling-Dealing to Grow a City
George Bannerman Dealey
The Dallas Morning News is Born
The Great 1908 Flood
G. B. Promotes Other Early Dallas Growth
The "City of Hate"
Building the ‘Subway’, Triple Underpass, Dealey Plaza
The Other Buildings Around Dealey Plaza
The Elder G. B. Dealey
The Dallas "Citizens Council"
The ‘Right Wing’ Direction of Dallas - "City of Hate" Revisited
A ‘Turn-Around’ for the Dallas Morning News
The Pre-November ‘Hate’ Incidents
Dallas’ Law Enforcement
November 1963, Why Dallas?
Dealey Plaza Changes To-Date

By the early 60’s and time of JFK’s ill-fated trip to Dallas, the city had become a ‘hotbed’ of political upheaval. It was a city of extreme right-wing leanings, where many of the citizens of Dallas had reached the point that they just wanted to be left alone by, what they perceived to be, the Liberal and Socialist leaning Federal government. These feelings, and some of the events occurring during the summer and fall of 1963, prompted Police Chief, Jesse Curry, in a speech before the President’s arrival in November ‘63, to urge the citizens to keep down trouble, and not fulfill the title “City of Hate”, which had actually been first applied during the Ku Klux Klan heyday of the 1920’s. But if you look at the history of Texas, Dallas, and it’s people, it is really not surprising that they would allow such right-wing extremism into their midst.

Looking at the history of Texas, and especially Dallas, it is quickly understood why its citizens allowed the extreme right-wing elements to get a firm foothold in their city. Throughout its history, very independent and self-sufficient peoples have occupied Dallas. It is, in many ways, this very independence and self-sufficiency that molded its citizens into people who wanted to enjoy their “earned right”, and to be left alone.

The earliest history of Texas was one of pioneering and struggle. From the explorers who first looked at the area, to the Americans who were invited here by Mexico, having to agree to convert to Catholicism and marry a Mexican, independence and self-reliance was extremely necessary. No “social group” gave them anything, and they had to eke out their own survival from the rough territory. However, any gains they received were exclusively theirs to enjoy.

Independence and self-reliance were the key traits of these explorers, and reflects the fierce independence that right-wingers have today. Indeed, the protection of what they had earned, and the personal freedoms they enjoyed where a major reason for the Texas war for independence from Mexico.

It was to protect their independence and rights, which caused the Republic of Texas to turn to the United States, and be annexed by them in 1846. Without this protection the Texans knew it was only a matter of time before Mexico again returned to re-claim them. But even this was short lived, as less than 20 years later the Texans voted to secede from the United States in the Civil War, when the Federal government was seemingly starting to interfere with this independence, the ‘rights’ to own slaves, and the right to live their own lives their way.

Fiercely independent entrepreneurs, such as John Neely Bryan and the Cockrells, founded Dallas itself. Early Dallas was built and led by very independent business leaders, who, although doing many shady things to build the city, seldom asked for outside help or interference. They had built their city themselves, and wanted to enjoy the fruits of their own efforts.

D in the Heart of Texas - Table of Contents
The Dallas "Citizens Council" (Part 2)
The ‘Right Wing’ Direction of Dallas - "City of Hate" Revisited (Part 2)

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Last edited June 3, 2003