The Third Ward is one of the six historic wards of Houston, Texas, United States. It is located in the southeast Houston management district.The Third Ward, located inside the 610 Loop is immediately southeast of Downtown Houston and to the east of the Texas Medical Center. The ward became the center of Houston's African American community. The Third Ward is nicknamed "The Tre'.Robert D. Bullard, a sociologist teaching at Texas Southern University, stated that the Third Ward is "the city's most diverse black neighborhood and a microcosm of the larger black Houston community."HistorySoon after the 1836 establishment of Houston, the City Council established four wards as political subdivisions of the city. The original Third Ward district extended south of Congress Street and east of Main Street and ended at the north shore of the Brays Bayou; what was then the district includes what is today portions of Downtown Houston and Midtown Houston in addition to residential African American area currently identified as the Third Ward, which is located southeast of Downtown Houston. As of 2003 the usage of the land within the boundaries of the historic Third Ward is more diverse than the land usage in the current Third Ward.
