5 episodes
Running Red-Lights Texas Public Radio
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- Society & Culture
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4.6 • 21 Ratings
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“Running Red-Lights” is a limited series podcast about the untold history of sex work in San Antonio and the women who ran the industry, but who weren’t allowed to make history.
We talked with librarians, pastors, archivists and sex workers to help uncover San Antonio’s red-light district. It was one of the busiest in the country.
City government, the military, the church — all institutions that still loom large in the city today — played a role in the making and breaking of the district. But the madams’ stories are mostly unknown. Today the sex industry operates underground. History will repeat itself if we lose these stories forever.
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Introducing: Running Red-Lights
“Running Red-Lights” is a limited series podcast about the untold history of sex work in San Antonio and the women who ran the industry, but who weren’t allowed to make history.
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Long nights, slow burn
San Antonio was once home to one of the busiest red-light districts in the country. But exactly how big was the city’s red-light district? And how did it get that way? That’s what we try to find out in Episode 1 of "Running Red-Lights."
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What happened to Emelia Garza?
A brothel-owner named Emelia Garza was arrested in San Antonio for not paying licensing fees. She challenged the city, and won — forcing officials to alter their charter and rewrite the bawdy house ordinance. Soon after she was deemed insane and put in jail. Thanks to digitized records, we now know how her story ended.
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Was Mary Volino saved?
Mary Volino was a successful madam of a San Antonio brothel in the late 19th century. One day, she decided to change her business into a rescue home.
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Survival to security
How do changing laws impact the day-to-day lives of sex workers? And where is the line drawn between work and trafficking?
Customer Reviews
WOW
Absolutely fascinating! I just love local history & I’ve been obsessed with the red light district for as long as I can remember. I wish there more episodes- like talking about where the houses were & what buildings are now in their place. What a cool thing for y’all to do!
Fascinating
Thanks, TPR , for investigating a part of San Antonio history that is rarely explored. Looking forward to the final episode and can already tell I wish the episodes were longer and more numerous!
Interested
Great concept for a podcast. Looking forward to the season