History of African Americans in San Antonio facts for kids
The African American population in San Antonio, Texas has been an important part of the city's community for a long time. African Americans have been part of San Antonio's history since the late 1800s.
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History
The first Africans in San Antonio were people of African heritage when Texas was part of Mexico. This was before the Mexican–American War. African slaves arrived in 1528 in Spanish Texas. By 1792, there were 34 Black people and 414 people of mixed African and European heritage in Spanish Texas. When white settlers moved into Mexican Texas in the 1820s, more enslaved people were brought.
Many African Americans in Texas remained enslaved until after the U.S. Civil War ended. After slavery ended, during the Reconstruction era (the time after the Civil War), newly freed African Americans began moving from farms in Texas to San Antonio. They created new neighborhoods called Freedmen's Towns on the city's East Side. Ellis Alley was one of the first African American neighborhoods in San Antonio.
In 1850, the census showed 592 African American slaves living in San Antonio. This was out of 3,488 total residents. Even though slavery ended after the U.S. Civil War, by the mid-1870s, unfair rules called racial segregation became common across the South, including Texas. These rules kept Black and white people separate.
Many African Americans left Texas during the Great Migration in the early 1900s. They moved to other places to find jobs and better opportunities. In San Antonio, African Americans had little say in government during the Jim Crow era. White leaders used different ways to keep control. Racial segregation finally ended in the mid-1960s. On March 16, 1960, San Antonio was the first southern city to start integrating its restaurants. This happened when Richard Hunt sat at a lunch counter in Alamo Plaza.
In the 1970s, African Americans made up 7.6 percent of San Antonio's population. Today, San Antonio is seen as a good city for Black professionals. Many African Americans are now moving to San Antonio for lower living costs and more job opportunities. While about 64 percent of San Antonio's population is Hispanic, African Americans are still the largest minority group on the East Side. San Antonio's Black population grew by more than 10,000 people in the last decade. In 2020, nearly 94,000 non-Hispanic Black residents lived in the city. This was 6.5 percent of the total population, a 13 percent increase from 2010. Also, 25,000 to 35,000 mostly Black people came to San Antonio in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. Many of them decided to stay. Ivy Taylor was the first African American elected mayor of San Antonio. She was also only the second woman to hold that job.
Geography
The East Side of San Antonio has many African American residents. The African American population is now about 6.9 percent of the city. Denver Heights is one of the oldest Black neighborhoods in San Antonio. The average household income for Black families in San Antonio is $45,745. The average house cost is $187,478.
Outside of the East Side, many Black families live on the Northeast Side. This area includes places like Camelot, Converse, Sunrise, and Dignowity Hill. Black families have lived in these areas since the 1980s and 90s. The number of Black people in San Antonio grew by 25 percent in the last decade. This was an increase of more than 29,000 people. By 2020, nearly 148,000 Black people lived in Bexar County. They made up 7.4 percent of Bexar County's population, up from 6.9 percent in 2010.
Politics
Ivy Taylor was the first African American to be elected mayor of San Antonio. She was also only the second woman in that position. Taylor was the first African American woman mayor of a city with more than one million people. She was elected to the San Antonio City Council in 2009. She represented District 2 on the east side of the city. She was re-elected in 2011 and 2013. In 2021, Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez was elected to serve City Council District 2. The Alamo City Black Chamber of Commerce in San Antonio was started in April 1938.
Media
The San Antonio Observer is the only African American newspaper in San Antonio. It has been published since 1995. It is also the largest African American newspaper in South Texas.
Cultural institutions
The San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum (SAAACAM) is a digital archive and museum. It is located in the La Villita Historic Arts Village District. This is near the San Antonio River Walk. It collects and shares the history of African Americans in San Antonio.
The Alamo City Black Chamber of Commerce helps and supports Black-owned businesses and professionals.
Education
Colleges and universities
St. Philip's College is a public community college in San Antonio. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is the westernmost Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the United States. St. Philip's College is part of the Alamo Colleges District. It serves over 11,000 students in more than 70 different subjects. It is the only college recognized as both a historically black college and a Hispanic-serving institution.
Primary and secondary schools
Sam Houston High School is a public high school in eastern San Antonio. It was historically an African American high school. Today, it has many Hispanic students. It is one of the first African American high schools in San Antonio. It is classified as a 4A school by the UIL. This school is one of twelve schools in the San Antonio Independent School District. In 2015, the Texas Education Agency rated the school as "Met Standard."
Religion
Mount Zion First Baptist Church is an historic African American church. It is located at 333 Martin Luther King Drive in San Antonio, Texas. Former slaves founded the church in 1871. Since then, it has helped thousands of people. It also played a big part in the Civil Rights Movement in the city. In 1949, Reverend Claude Black Jr. became pastor. He made the church well-known in the National Baptist Convention. Pastor Black became a Civil Rights leader and city councilman. He invited important figures to speak at his church. These included Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Azie Taylor Morton, Percy Sutton, and Barbara Jordan. The church started the city's first Black-owned credit union. It also created Project Free, a program to help the poor and elderly. The church was burned down in 1974 but was rebuilt the next year.
Recreation
A notable African American cultural place is the San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum.
Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a yearly celebration. It recognizes the freedom of enslaved Black people in Texas. President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. But the news did not reach Texas until June 19, 1865. Over the next few years, African American communities across Texas collected money. They bought land especially for Juneteenth celebrations.
The State of Texas made Juneteenth a state holiday. This happened after Al Edwards, a member of the Texas House of Representatives from Houston, suggested it as a bill.
MLK March
On January 19, 1987, the City of San Antonio held its first official Martin Luther King, Jr. March. Each year, many events honor one of the nation's most respected civil rights leaders. San Antonio hosts the largest MLK march in the country. About 300,000 people take part.
San Antonio Black Restaurant Week
San Antonio is known for its food trucks, restaurants, and different types of food. Black-owned restaurants are a big part of this yearly event. San Antonio Black Restaurant Week shows off food trucks and Black-owned businesses. These include health and wellness, catering, and event planning companies.
Notable residents
- Al Freeman Jr., American actor
- Sterling Houston, experimental playwright
- Terence Steele, American NFL football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys
- Sam Hurd, former American NFL football wide receiver
- G. J. Sutton, the first Black official elected from San Antonio, Texas
- Artemisia Bowden, an African American school administrator and civil rights activist
- Cadillac Muzik, Hip Hop group
- Shaquille O'Neal, American professional retired basketball player, graduated from Robert G. Cole High School
- Bo Outlaw, American professional retired basketball player
- Phillip Martin III, rapper
- David Robinson, former San Antonio Spur basketball player
- Clifford Scott, American saxophonist and flautist
- BillyRay Sheppard, saxophonist and recording artist
- Ivy Taylor, former mayor of San Antonio
- Mel Waiters, American R&B singer
