ABSTRACT
In August 1945 Japan surrendered to the United States, and World War II came to an end. Fifteen years of depression and war had now ended and Texans looked to the future with some optimism. Texas itself was changing rapidly during this period. It experienced population and economic growth, as well as shifts in its demographics and economy. In the second half of the twentieth century, Texas politics were increasingly dominated by national and international issues and by growing conflict between state and federal interests. In two areas, political rights and school desegregation, African Americans in the 1950s made significant progress toward the attainment of their civil rights. The initial battle in the struggle for desegregation targeted Texas' system of higher education. The most significant development in Texas historiography in the second half of the twentieth century has been the publication of studies on African Americans, Mexican Americans, and women in Texas history.
