Culture of Texas

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The culture of Texas is shaped by significant migration from the American North and West, and differs from its eastern neighbors in the Deep South. It is considered diverse, encompassing many different subcultures. It includes regional and cultural influences from the German Texans, Tejanos, Cajuns, Irish, African American, and White Anglo-Southern communities established before the republic era and statehood.

The "Lone Star" Belle, postcard, around 1908.

Texas is divided into five major regions; East Texas, Central Texas, North Texas, South Texas, and West Texas. These regions are defined by urban centers and varying cultural characteristics. The Texas Triangle, formed by Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio, is an interstate corridor between the three major Texan cities closest to the geographic center, each representing distinct cultural areas.

Texas is bordered by the western prairies, the Deep South, and Mexico, incorporating Hispanic, African, and Anglo traditions. Texas also includes communities with origins in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Mexico, Southern African American and White Southern populations, as well as Native Americans. Texas is placed in the Southern United States by the United States Census Bureau.[1]

## Agriculture

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Texas has the most farms and the highest acreage in the United States.[2][3] The state is ranked No. 1 for revenue generated from total livestock and livestock products. It is ranked No. 2 for total agricultural revenue, behind California.[4] At $7.4 billion or 56.7 percent of Texas's annual agricultural cash receipts, beef cattle production represents the largest single segment of Texas agriculture. This is followed by cotton at $1.9 billion (14.6 percent), greenhouse/nursery at $1.5 billion (11.4 percent), broiler chickens at $1.3 billion (10 percent), and dairy products at $947 million (7.3 percent).[5]

Texas produces the most cattle, horses, sheep, goats, wool, mohair, and hay in the United States.[5] The state also produces the most cotton in the United States, which is the number one crop grown in the state in terms of value.[4][6][7] The state also grows significant amounts of cereal crops and produce.[4]

### Ranch and cowboy culture

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See also: Cowboy § Texas_tradition, and Texas Cowboy Reunion

Texas has a strong ranching tradition which has had significant influence on American cowboy culture, particularly in rodeo. Texas has made a strong mark on national and international pop culture. The entire state is strongly associated with the image of the cowboy shown in westerns and in country western music. The state's numerous oil tycoons are also a popular topic in pop culture in media such as in the TV series Dallas.[8]

### Rodeo

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In 1997, House Concurrent Resolution No. 21 was adopted by the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas, declaring rodeo as the official sport of Texas.[9] The annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the world's largest known rodeo. It is held over 20 days, from late February through early March. The event begins with trail rides that originate from several points throughout the state, all of which convene at NRG Park for a barbecue cook-off. The rodeo includes typical rodeo events, as well as, concert performances from major artists, and carnival rides. The Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo last three weeks in late January and early February. It has many traditional rodeos, but also a cowboy rodeo, and a Mexican rodeo in recent years, that both have large fan bases.[citation needed]

### State Fair

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Big Tex, the mascot of the State Fair of Texas since 1952

The State Fair of Texas is one of the largest state fairs in the United States by attendance, and is held in Dallas each year between late September through mid- to late October at Fair Park. Two noteworthy college football games, the Red River Rivalry between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Texas Longhorns, and the State Fair Classic between the Grambling State University Tigers and the Prairie View A&M University Panthers are played at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park during the State Fair. The State Fair is known for its fried food, particularly corn dogs. The State Fair is also home to the Texas Star, the tallest Ferris wheel in the Western Hemisphere, and Big Tex, a 55-foot-tall (17 m) cowboy statue.[citation needed]

Other state fairs held in Texas include the North Texas State Fair in Denton, the South Texas State Fair in Beaumont, and the East Texas State Fair in Tyler.

## History

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Main article: History of Texas

The history of Texas, particularly of the old independent Republic of Texas, is intimately bound up with its present culture. Frontier Texas! is a museum of the American Old West in Abilene. Texas is also home to many historical societies, such as:

* The Texas Historical Commission, an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas.
* The Texas State Historical Association publishes an encyclopedia on Texas history, geography, and culture called the Handbook of Texas.[10]

In Norway, "Texas" is used as slang for something chaotic and uncontrolled, as influenced from popular Norwegian depictions of cowboy culture and Western literature associated with Texas. "Der var helt texas! (That was totally texas!)" has mostly pejorative connotations, but can also refer to a party out of control or a runaway success.[11]

### Folklore of Texas

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See also: Folklore of the United States and Tall tales

Texas has a considerable independent body of folklore, primarily in connection with its historical ranching and cowboy cultures, the American Old West, and the Texas War of Independence. The Texas Folklore Society is the second-oldest folklore organization continually functioning in the United States. Many well-known figures and stories in American folklore are associated with Texas:

* Pecos Bill, the fictional American cowboy
* Davy Crockett, 19th-century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician who served in the Texas Revolution and died at the Battle of the Alamo.
* Ottine Swamp Thing, the urban legend of a bigfoot-like swamp monster in Ottine, Texas.[12]

## State holidays

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Texas has several recognized state holidays, including:

* Texas Independence Day
* Lyndon Baines Johnson Day
* San Jacinto Day (Celebration of defeating Mexico for Independence)
* Juneteenth
* Confederate Heroes Day (partial staffing day)
* Sam Houston Monument

## Art

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### Architecture

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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2024)

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Main article: Architecture of Texas

### Monuments & Statues

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* Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark District
* John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Plaza
* San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site
* Eiffel Tower (Paris, Texas)
* Mustangs of Las Colinas

### Music

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Main article: Music of Texas

The Lone Star State has helped popularize this musical style throughout the world and made the Texas cowboy an international icon that would forever be identified with country music. Although many people may think of country music when they think of the Lone Star State, Texas actually encompasses a wide variety of ethnic musical genres and regional styles.[13]

Texas has a significant live music scene in Austin, with the most music venues per capita than any other U.S. city, befitting the city's official slogan as The Live Music Capital of the World. Austin's music revolves around the many nightclubs on 6th Street and an annual film, music, and multimedia festival known as South by Southwest. The longest-running concert music program on American television, Austin City Limits, was videotaped at the University of Texas at Austin campus. Austin City Limits and Waterloo Records run the Austin City Limits Music Festival, an annual music and art festival held at Zilker Park in Austin.

In Houston, the annual Free Press Summer Fest is a major draw as well as the entertainment lineups at the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Notable music venues for Houston are Fitzgerald's, Warehouse Live, and Walter's among others. Many renowned musicians' origins are in Houston including Lyle Lovett, Beyoncé, Clint Black, The Crusaders, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Kenny Rogers as well as groups including D.R.I., Helstar, La Mafia, the Geto Boys, and ZZ Top. The Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera are both attractions of the Houston Theater District.

Beyond Austin and Houston, other regions of Texas also contribute richly to the state’s musical identity. San Antonio, with its deep Mexican-American roots, is known for nurturing Tejano and conjunto music, blending traditional Mexican folk with modern influences.[14] In the Panhandle and West Texas, artists like Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison helped pioneer early rock and roll, with Lubbock and El Paso continuing to serve as creative hubs for emerging talent.[15][16] Dallas, meanwhile, boasts a thriving blues and jazz scene, historically rooted in Deep Ellum, a neighborhood once frequented by legends like Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker.[17] Together, these cities illustrate the incredible diversity and influence of Texas’s music landscape.

### Literature

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Main article: Literature of Texas

Texas literature is literature about the history and culture of Texas. It ranges broadly in literary genres and dates from the time of the first European contact. Representative authors include Mary Austin Holley and Katherine Anne Porter.

### Japanese anime

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Further information: Japanese popular culture and History of anime

Texas' two major cities, Dallas and Houston, currently houses two major Japanese anime licensing and production companies: Crunchyroll and Sentai Filmworks, which dubs anime films in the English language voiced by several major voice actors throughout Texas such as John Swasey, Chris Sabat, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Brittney Karbowski, Monica Rial, Molly Searcy, David Matranga and many others.[18] Many annual anime conventions are also held in the state.[19]

## Sports

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Main article: Sports in Texas

American football is a popular sport in Texas. In the NCAA, Texas has 12 top-level or "FBS" schools are more than any other state. In the NFL, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texan are the two Texan teams.

Baseball is also popular in Texas. The Texas Rangers and Houston Astros are the two Texan teams in the Major League Baseball. At minor league baseball, Texas has three teams in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and five in the Double-A Texas League.

Another popular sport in Texas is golf, played year-round because of the South's humid climate.

Basketball is another popular sport in Texas. The state has three NBA teams, the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Dallas Mavericks, which have all won league titles. Fishing, marching bands and auto racing are also found in Texas. The Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth is a large motorsport track, hosting both domestic and international events.

Lacrosse, originated from indigenous tribes is also played in Texas. Soccer is a popular participatory sport--especially among children--but as a spectator sport, it does not yet have a large following despite three Texas teams in Major League Soccer (FC Dallas, Austin FC, and Houston Dynamo FC).

Ice hockey has been a growing participatory sport in the Dallas/Fort Worth area since the Minnesota North Stars became the Dallas Stars in 1993. Minor league professional hockey has since grown. Texas is home to the San Antonio Rampage and Texas Stars of the American Hockey League and the Allen Americans of the ECHL. Texas was also home to many Central Hockey League and Western Professional Hockey League teams prior to the leagues' dissolution. Some of the organizations involved with the former leagues launched junior ice hockey teams in the North American Hockey League and the league headquarters were moved to Frisco.[20]

Rodeo is the official sport of Texas; see § Rodeo for more information.

## Media

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See also: Category:Television shows set in Texas and Category:Films set in Texas

Media devoted to Texas culture include Texas Monthly, a monthly magazine headquartered in Austin.

## Cuisine

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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2014)

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Main article: Texan cuisine

See also: Tex-Mex cuisine

Important aspects of Texas cuisine include,

* Texas barbecue and the local fusion of Southern, Mexican, American, and Southwestern cuisines called Tex-Mex cuisine.

* Tex-Mex cuisine blends Mexican and American flavors, featuring dishes like sizzling fajitas, cheesy enchiladas, and crispy nachos with bold spices.

## Political

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The political culture of Texas is mainly traditionalistic and individualistic. The traditionalistic views want the social hierarchy and norms to remain the same and influence policies such as same sex marriage and abortion. These views have also contributed to the low voter turnout experienced in Texas, since Texas has a history of voter suppression, with it being cited as being viewed as an economic perk. Individualistic views focus on yourself or your immediate family or friends. This contributes to lower taxes and lack of income tax.[21]

## Other

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The Texas Folklife Festival is an annual event sponsored by the University of Texas at San Antonio's Institute of Texan Cultures celebrating the many ethnicities represented in the population of the state of Texas. Thousands attend the three-day event each year, which features food, crafts, music, and dances from ethnic groups that immigrated to Texas.

A 2015 report by non-profit organization Mission: Readiness found that 73% of military-aged youth in Texas were physically ineligible for military service due to issues with obesity and ill-health, a rate much higher than the national average.[22]

## See also

[edit]

* Texas portal

* Institute of Texan Cultures
* List of people from Texas
* List of Texas state symbols
* Languages of Texas, including Texas German
* Texas Institute of Letters

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Census Regions and Divisions of the United States" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
2. ^ "Silo: Top U.S. States With The Most Farmland". usesilo.com. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
3. ^ "Texas Ag Stats". texasagriculture.gov. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
4. ^ a b c "The Texas Economy". netstate.com. June 5, 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
5. ^ a b Electronic Municipal Market Access (2013). "Appendix A" (PDF). The State of Texas. Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). Retrieved October 23, 2016.
6. ^ Carmack, Liz (June 21, 2013). "The Legacy of 'King Cotton'". County. Texas Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
7. ^ "Crop Production: 2014 Summary" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture. pp. 48–49. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
8. ^ Arnold, Richard (August 2, 2018). "40 years on from the TV series, Dallas is much more than oil barons and big hats". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
9. ^ "Rodeo – not football – is the official sport of Texas. Here's how that happened". www.msn.com. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
10. ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Handbook of Texas". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
11. ^ Barford, Vanessa (October 23, 2015). "Why do Norwegians use 'texas' to mean 'crazy'?". BBC News.
12. ^ "Swamp Thing of Ottine: Your Friendly Neighborhood Bigfoot". Texas Hill Country. January 26, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
13. ^ Hartman, Gary. The History of Texas Music. N.p.: Texas A&M University Press, 2008. Print.
14. ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Tejano Conjunto Festival: Celebrating Texas-Mexican Music". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
15. ^ "Buddy Holly". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
16. ^ "Roy Orbison". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
17. ^ Bird, Tyson (November 24, 2021). "The Legacy of Blind Lemon Jefferson in Deep Ellum". Texas Highways. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
18. ^ "Japanese cartoons, Texas voices: The story behind the rise of the anime dubbing industry". January 14, 2019.
19. ^ "Anime, Texas: How The Lone Star State Became The Center Of America's Anime Craze". abc13.com. May 29, 2021.
20. ^ "NAHL contacts". North American Hockey League. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
21. ^ "1.2: Political Culture of Texas". Social Sci LibreTexts. November 18, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
22. ^ Alvarado, Beatriz, "Too fat, too frail to serve, report states", Corpus Christi Caller-Times/Stars and Stripes, October 10, 2015

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