Houston-1970s

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In the 1970s, the Chinese American community in Houston, which had been relatively small, started growing at a rapid rate. The Sharpstown scandal, which concerned the neighborhood of Sharpstown occurred in 1970 and 1971. One Shell Plaza and Two Shell Plaza were completed in 1971. One Shell Plaza was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. The Houston Independent School District had a slower plan to desegregate schools, but on June 1, 1970, the Federal officials struck the HISD plan down and forced it to adopt zoning laws. There were still racial tensions over integration of the schools. The Houston Community College system was established in 1972 by HISD. Water pollution of the Houston Ship Channel became notorious in 1972. August 1973 saw the "Houston Mass Murders", which were the murders of 27 boys killed by 3 men. August 2 saw La Grange, Texas's "Chicken Ranch shut down thanks to Marvin Zindler's report. Work on the Texas Commerce Tower, now the JPMorgan Chase Tower, began in 1979. The same year saw a racially integrated City Council for the first time. The late 1970s saw a population boom thanks to the Arab Oil Embargo. People from the Rust Belt states would massively move into Houston, at a rate of over 1,000 a week. During the time period, five African-Americans served on city council. The Houston Independent School District was also forced to desegregate. Some Hispanic Americans felt they were being discriminated against when they were being put with only African-Americans as part of the desegregation plan, so many took their children out of the schools and put them in "huelgas", or protest schools, until a ruling in 1973 satisfied their demands. The Third Ward became the center for African-American activity in the city. In 1977, the University of Houston celebrated its 50th anniversary as the Texas Legislature established the University of Houston System, a state system of higher education that includes three other universities.

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