Don Firth's post makes we realize that location was important to our exposure, and reaction, to the earlier bloom of folksingers- those before 1955.
Don mentions concerts and exposure which we never had in our area. Lead Belly gave a concert at the University of Texas, and was one of the few that I remember. We connected him with his prison days and pardons but not with the equality movement. Obviously he didn't sing and we hadn't heard of his "Bourgeois Blues." The club music scene was developing in Austin, but western swing and pseudo-New Orleans of the Victoria Spivey kind are about all I remember. The Weavers were known only on record; I don't remember any concerts or club performances.

The first attempts toward equal education opportunities were underway in Texas. Through court action, a black student by the name of Sweat was admitted to the Law School, the first at the University. He was taught in the old Law Building in a class of one. We never saw him on campus. Among the students he was seldom mentioned. At the time, a deoderant named "Mum" was widely advertised. In a university parade, one of the floats has a sign on the back reading "Mum's the Word For Sweat." That seems to have been the general attitude at the time.

It all seems quite different from the environment enjoyed by Firth and others who have posted here.