These pieces of tan-bodied ware from the Cafe Raven in Huntsville, Tex., were distributed by Southern Hotel Supply Co., in Houston, Tex., and were made circa 1930s-40s. The restaurant was open from 1930 to 1969.

Sam Houston, for whom the restaurant was named and who served as its inspiration, lived and died in Huntsville.

Houston was the first and third president of the Republic of Texas, a U.S. senator from Texas once it became part of the United States, and twice a governor - once of Tennessee and once of Texas.

Much earlier, however, Houston at 16 became an adopted citizen of the Cherokee Nation and was given the name of Colonneh - or Co-lo-neh - which means the Raven.

The Raven Cafe - known simply as The Raven - was Huntsville's main downtown restaurant and was founded by Abe Dabaghi, Fred Morris and Stuart Nemir Sr. - and eventually solely owned by Dabaghi. In the 1960s, the restaurant played a role in the civil rights struggle. The Raven was segregated and made the decision to desegrate after the Cafe Texan (also owned by Morris) was targeted for protests. But The Raven's conservative interpretation of desegration was to allow in only two African Americans at a time. As a backlash to this, in the summer of 1965 a major sit-in demonstration was held there, with some 24 people arrested.

More about Abe Dabaghi
From the website Walker County Treasures: Abe Dabaghi (1895-??) was one of the founders, and later the sole proprietor, of the Café Raven. The Raven was located on the south side of The Square and became a Huntsville institution during its thirty-nine years of operation (1930-1969). Originally from Lebanon, Dabaghi immigrated with his family to Mexico where he lived for several years before coming to Texas in 1917. In 1930 Dabaghi, along with partners Fred Morris (who later established another Huntsville institution, the Café Texan, on the west side of the Square in 1936) and Stuart Nemir, Sr. opened the Café Raven. The Café Raven laid claim to several "firsts" in HUntsville; the first private dining room for any restaurant in Huntsville, the first air conditioned restaurant, and the first neon sign between Houston and Dallas. Dabaghi also owned and operated the OTC Restaurant, The Huntsville Home Bakery and the Bus Stop Restaurant.

More information
From Texas Christian University's Civil Rights in Black & Brown Oral HIstory Project is this fascinating Interview with Joreen Waddell titled: "Cafe Raven & Desegregation of Huntsville Schools."