Editing Marshall, Texas (section)

===Late 20th{{snd}}early 21st centuries===
[[File:Elks Building, Marshall, Texas.jpg|thumb|upright|Elks Building, Marshall, Texas (postcard, 1909)]]

The [[Civil Rights Movement]] reached into the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. In the 1960s, students organized the first [[sit-in]]s in Texas,<ref name="Campbell 428">Campbell (2003), p. 428.</ref> in the [[rotunda (architecture)|rotunda]] of the county courthouse on Whetstone Square. They protested continuing segregation of public schools. This governmental practice had been declared unconstitutional in 1954 by the US Supreme Court in ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]''. In 1970, all Marshall [[state school|public schools]] were finally integrated.

Also in that year, Carolyn Abney became the first woman to be elected to the Marshall City Commission. In April 1975, nearly a decade after passage of the federal [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], local businessman Sam Birmingham became the first African American to be elected to the city commission. In the 1980s, he was elected as the city's first African-American [[mayor]]. Birmingham retired in 1989 for health concerns and was succeeded by his wife, Jean Birmingham.

Marshall's railroad industry declined during the restructuring of the industry; most trains were converted to [[diesel fuel]], and many lines merged. Construction of the [[Interstate Highway System]] after [[World War II]] and expansion of trucking, plus the increase in airline traffic, also led to railway declines. The T&P shops closed in the 1960s, and T&P passenger service ceased in 1970. The Texas oil bust of the 1980s devastated the local economy. The city's population declined by about 1,000 between 1980 and 1990.

During the mid-20th century, the city lost many of its historic landmarks to redevelopment or neglect. For a time people preferred "modern" structures. Other buildings were [[Demolition|demolished]] because tax laws favored new construction.

By 1990, Marshall's opera house, the Missouri Capitol, the Moses Montefiore Synagogue, the original Viaduct, the Capitol Hotel, and the campus of Bishop College (including the Wyalucing plantation house) had been demolished.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Marshall – Moses Montefiore Congregation|url=https://txjhs.org/marshall-moses-montefiore-congregation/|access-date=2020-06-18|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Richardson|first=Robin Y.|title=New museum exhibit, booklet tells story of Marshall's Jewish history|url=https://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/counties/new-museum-exhibit-booklet-tells-story-of-marshalls-jewish-history/article_82b2a498-b51e-53dc-80ea-6814b243655b.html|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Marshall News Messenger|date=April 9, 2017 |language=en}}</ref> In the 1970s, the city began to study [[historic preservation]] efforts of nearby [[Jefferson, Texas|Jefferson]]. Since then it has emphasized preservation of historic assets.

Due to newly completed construction projects, the city was one of 10 designated in 1976 as an [[All-America City Award|All-America City]] by the [[National Civic League]]. In 1978, [[Taipei]] mayor [[Lee Teng-hui]], and Marshall mayor William Q. Burns, signed legislation recognizing Marshall as a [[sister city]] to the much larger Taipei. During this period, [[Bill Moyers]] won an [[Emmy award|Emmy]] for his documentary, ''[[Marshall, Texas: Marshall, Texas]],'' chronicling the history of race relations in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bill Moyers|url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/bill-moyers|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Television Academy|language=en}}</ref>

In terms of the city's economy, the 1960s through 1980s were a period of decline, largely because of the oil industry and manufacturing changes. Population declined after jobs left the area. [[Longview, Texas|Longview]] surpassed Marshall in population and economy.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the city began to concentrate on diversifying its economy. It has emphasized heritage and other tourism. The city founded two new festivals, the [[red imported fire ant|Fire Ant]] Festival, and the "Wonderland of Lights", which joined the longstanding Stagecoach Days.<ref name=":1" /> The Fire Ant Festival gained national attention through being featured on television in programs such as ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]].''<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-10-09|title=36th Annual Fire Ant Festival this Saturday|url=https://www.theeasttexasweekend.com/36th-annual-fireant-festival-this-saturday/|access-date=2020-06-18|website=The East Texas Weekend|language=en-US}}</ref>[[Image:Downtown Marshall, TX IMG 2336.JPG|220x220px|right|thumb|Downtown Marshall to the north of the former Harrison County Courthouse, 2009]]

The "Wonderland of Lights" became the most popular and one of the largest light festivals in the United States. By 2000, the "Wonderland of Lights" had become such a part of the cityscape that the lighted dome of the Old Courthouse was the most recognizable symbol of the city.  2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the "Wonderland of Lights" festival.

During the 2000s, the downtown area experienced moderate economic growth, which supported restoration of significant buildings. By 2005, the Joe Weisman & Company building, the T&P Depot, the former Hotel Marshall (now known as "The Marshall"), and the former Harrison County Courthouse were either restored or under restoration.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hotel Marshall Undergoes Renovation, Marshall, Texas.|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/Preservation/Hotel-Marshall-Undergoes-Renovation.htm|access-date=2020-06-18|website=texasescapes.com}}</ref>

Restaurants, boutiques, and loft apartments were developed in downtown, adding to the variety of its daily life and the number of pedestrians on the streets. Some projects adapted historic structures for reuse. Many historic homes outside of downtown continue to deteriorate. Some structures in moderate condition were approved for demolition for replacement by prefabricated or tin structures. Whetstone Square has become quite busy again, with few empty buildings around it. Lack of funding and manpower has slowed movement on demolition and salvage of historic homes.

The [[Sam B. Hall, Jr.]] Federal Courthouse has been the venue for several cases challenging state practices under provisions of the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]]. For instance, the [[Democratic Party of the United States|Democratic Party]] challenged the [[2003 Texas redistricting|2003 redistricting]] by the state legislature, arguing that it diluted minority rights. Combined with two other cases, these issues were heard by the United States Supreme Court in ''[[League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry]]'' (2006). It upheld the state's actions, with the exception of [[Texas's 23rd congressional district]]; redistricting was required that affected neighboring districts, as well. This had little effect on the new Republican majority of the Texas Congressional delegation after the 2004 elections.<ref name="nytimes2006">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/28/washington/28cnd-scotus.html?_r=1&oref=slogin|work=The New York Times|title=Justices Back Most G.O.P. Changes to Texas Districts|date=June 28, 2006}}</ref>

An unusually high number of [[patent]] [[lawsuits]] were being filed in the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas]], which includes Marshall, [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]], and [[Texarkana, Texas|Texarkana]]. [[TiVo]] sued [[Dish Network|EchoStar]] over [[digital video recorder]] patent rights. Marshall has a reputation for [[plaintiff]]-friendly [[jury|juries]] for the 5% of patent lawsuits that reach [[Jury trial|trial]]. This has resulted in 78% plaintiff wins. The number of patent suits filed in 2002 was 32, and the number for 2006 was estimated at 234.<ref name="NYTimes"/>

The patent suits filed here were second-highest in number, after the [[United States District Court for the Central District of California]] in Los Angeles in 2009.<ref name="NYTimes">{{cite news |last=Creswell |first=Julie |title=So Small a Town, So Many Patent Suits |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/business/24ward.html?ex=1159329600&en=2beff530451a51dc&ei=5070 |date=2006-09-24 |access-date=2007-10-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090424190026/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/business/24ward.html?ex=1159329600&en=2beff530451a51dc&ei=5070 |archive-date=2009-04-24 }}</ref> The trend continued through 2011 in the Eastern District of Texas, which includes Marshall, with the number of patent lawsuits more than doubling from 2010.<ref name="DallasMorningNews">{{cite news |last=Curriden |first=Mark |title=Patent lawsuits skyrocket in Texas |newspaper=[[Dallas Morning News]] |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/business/headlines/20130212-patent-lawsuits-skyrocket-in-texas.ece |date=2013-02-12 |access-date=2013-10-24}}</ref>

Marshall was profiled on ''[[This American Life]]'', as its juries' support of plaintiffs in patent suits has generated controversy.<ref name="ThisAmericanLife">{{cite web |title=441: When Patents Attack! |url=http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/441/when-patents-attack |date=2012-07-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104043043/http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/441/when-patents-attack |archive-date=2012-01-04 }}</ref>

On January 18, 2010, Dr. John Tennison, a [[San Antonio]] physician and musicologist, publicized his research that found that [[boogie-woogie]] music was first developed in the Marshall area in the early 1870s. It originated among African Americans working with the T&P Railroad and the logging industry.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Boogie Woogie: Born In The Backwoods Of America|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/01/17/132963070/boogie-woogie-born-in-the-backwoods-of-america|access-date=2020-06-18|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref> On May 13, 2010, the Marshall City Commission unanimously passed an ordinance declaring Marshall to be "the Birthplace of Boogie Woogie".<ref>{{Cite web|title=About {{!}} Marshall, Texas: The Birthplace of Boogie Woogie|url=http://boogiewoogiemarshall.com/about/|access-date=2020-06-18|language=en-US}}</ref> On September 2, 2018, the Harrison County Historic Commission unveiled a state Texas Historic Marker that declares Marshall as the birthplace of Boogie Woogie.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Richardson|first=Robin Y.|title=Marker celebrates Marshall as birthplace of boogie-woogie music|url=https://www.news-journal.com/news/county/harrison/marker-celebrates-marshall-as-birthplace-of-boogie-woogie-music/article_fbdfbe1e-6507-5954-aea8-3a25ca01c57c.html|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Longview News-Journal|date=September 10, 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Richardson|first=Robin Y.|title=Marker unveiling ceremony celebrates Marshall as birthplace of 'Boogie Woogie'|url=https://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/marker-unveiling-ceremony-celebrates-marshall-as-birthplace-of-boogie-woogie/article_3f6d4e56-afa6-11e8-8fd3-17ed682ad769.html|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Marshall News Messenger|date=September 4, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>