This study uses the storm surge sediment beds deposited by Hurricanes Audrey (1957), Carla (1961), Rita (2005) and Ike (2008) to investigate spatial and temporal changes in sedimentation rates on the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge in Southeast Texas. Fourteen sediment cores were collected along a transect extending from 90 to 1230 meters inland from the Gulf Coast. Storm-surge-deposited sediment beds were identified by texture, organic content, carbonate content, the presence of marine microfossils, and Cesium-137 dating. The hurricane-derived sediment beds are marker horizons that facilitate assessment of marsh sedimentation rates from nearshore to inland locations as well as over decadal to annual timescales. Near the shore, on a Hurricane Ike washover fan, where hurricane-derived sedimentation has increased elevation by up to 0.68 m since 2005, there was no measurable marsh sedimentation in the period 2008-2014. Farther inland, at lower elevations, sedimentation for the period 2008-2014 averaged 0.36 cm per year. The reduction in sedimentation in the period 2008-2014 on the nearshore part of the marsh is likely due to reduced flooding in response to increased elevation from hurricane storm surge sediment deposition. These results provide valuable knowledge about the sedimentary response of coastal marshes subject to storm surge deposition and …

Discussed her mother's work as a domestic, the family's encounters with racism, her entrepreneurship, and her work on civil rights and black women's empowerment.

Harold Joseph discussed his work with the Port Arthur community, racial politics, and political changes in city.

Mr. Hilton discussed his personal history in Corpus Christi, the justice system's breakdown in black communities, and his lifetime of political activism, especially on environmental matters.

David Willard is an educator in Beaumont, Texas. In his interview, he discussed his father's work and legacy in the desegregation process in southeast Texas, his own work in civil rights and education, and the ongoing struggles of the black community in the region.

Michael Linden and Wanda Thompson discuss the history of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and it's importance to the Black Catholic community in Port Arthur.

Richard Perkins studied music as a student at Prairie View A&M. In 1968, he and fellow choir members were invited to perform for Rev. Martin Luther King in Memphis, Tennessee, two weeks before his assassination. In his interview, Perkins discussed segregation, the role of music, and a comparison of the black experience in the U.S. and Europe.

Discussed the history of labor unionism in the area, the connections between labor and civil rights, and the political implications of organized labor.

Mr. Monroe discussed his upbringing in a segregated Port Arthur, his father's work to desegregate the city and the local college, and his own work to improve the conditions of minorities and disadvantaged students.

Discussed his working-class family background, the educational and social barriers to social mobility for Hispanics in the area, and the importance of being active in civil rights struggles.

Ms. Flores discussed her family's arrival to southeast Texas, her community and relationships with whites and other minorities, and her work to preserve Hispanic culture in the region.

Cynthia Parra discussed her upbringing, her navigation of identity, and her work with the Hispanic community in Beaumont, TX. She is Assistant Director for the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at Lamar University.

Robert and Paul discussed the history of the Noyola family, the different paths taken by various family members, and the political diversity within the family.

Gethrel Williams was from Beaumont, Texas. She was a long time civil rights and labor activist. During her time working for the U.S. Postal Service, she became a leader in in the American Postal Workers Union, both locally and nationally. In 2007, she was elected to the Beaumont City Council as Council-member-at-Large. In her interview, she discussed her efforts to desegregate public accommodations, her participation in the labor movement, and her work as a public, elected official. She died February 18, 2018.

Wanda Thompson discusses her memories of a segregated Port Arthur, her work with the church, and her job as a librarian and local historian.

Oral history interview with Mabel Briggs, who discusses growing up in a segregated community, her parents' insistence on her "passing" as white, and her struggles as a black woman in white-male-dominated environments.

Discussed the history of LGBT activism in the Golden Triangle, her memories of Klan activity in Port Arthur, and the continuing struggles of the gay community.

Mr. Moore was the first Black elected official in Jefferson county (County Commissioner, 1986) and was involved in various aspects of pressuring the city for Black civil rights. He shared what he remembered about the 1943 race riot in Beaumont, mentioned class divisions within the segregated Black communities in Beaumont, discussed the significance of unions for workplace advancement, was critical to Black representation on schools boards/in PTAs, and helped form the South Park Voters League to initially influence school board elections and, later, Black voter enfranchisement.

Hollis discussed the history of labor unions in the Golden Triangle, the challenges of growing up working-class, and the ongoing problems facing organized labor.

James Payne discussed his trajectory from living in a segregated town to becoming a lawyer and returning to a changed Beaumont. He spoke about his experiences with racism, discrimination, and the ways in which he overcame those obstacles.

Terrence L. Holmes is a judge for the Jefferson County Court in Texas. Holmes earned a B.S. from Southern University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) in 1980. He later earned an M.S. from Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas) in 1982 and a J.D. from Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas) in 1990. In his interview, Judge Holmes discussed segregation, the housing projects of Houma, Louisiana, and his trajectory to law and local politics.

Vernice Moore discussed her early life in a segregated Port Arthur, her parents' struggles (social and economic), and her fight against segregation. Hosea Gabriel discussed his lifetime of work to end segregation, to bring about social and economic change to his hometown, and to maintain his family's dignity amid severe obstacles.

Price discussed his family's emphasis on education, his experiences with segregation and discrimination in Texas and elsewhere, his time in the military, and his life's work in higher education and civil rights.

Discussed the labor movement since the 1950s, the nature of work in the oil industry, and the challenges that have faced organized labor since the mid-20th century.