History of African Americans in San Antonio
During the Reconstruction era, newly emancipated African American slaves began moving from rural areas in Texas to San Antonio, establishing Freedmen's Towns on the city's East Side.
The census recorded 592 African-American slaves of 3,488 total residents living in San Antonio in 1850, five years after Texas joined the United States.
African Americans left Texas by the tens of thousands during the Great Migration in the first half of the 20th century, seeking work and political opportunities elsewhere.
African Americans have owned land in San Antonio since Texas’ early colonial period and there are still are black landowners to the present day.
[7] African Americans in San Antonio were poorly represented by the predominantly white state legislature and city council, and were politically disenfranchised during the Jim Crow era; whites had used a variety of tactics, including militias and legislation, to re-establish political and social supremacy throughout the South.
[10] In addition to the New Great Migration, many African Americans in the US are now recently moving to San Antonio for lower cost of living and more job opportunities.
[11] San Antonio is considered more affordable in lower cost of living than Austin, Dallas, and Houston, which is an additional draw for many African American families.
When the census numbers were collected last year, there were nearly 94,000 non-Hispanic Black residents were living in the city, amounting to 6.5 percent of the total population.
[10] An additional 25,000 to 35,000 mostly black evacuees arrived in 2005 from the New Orleans metro after Hurricane Katrina with many of them deciding to stay in San Antonio.
Founded in 1871 by former slaves, the church has since provided ministerial services to thousands and played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement of the city.
Pastor Black who would become a Civil Rights icon and city councilman would invite figures controversial at the time to speak from his pulpit.
Some of those would include Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Azie Taylor Morton, Percy Sutton, Barbara Jordan and others.
The church created the city's first black owned credit union as well as Project Free, a program dedicated to assisting the poor and the elderly.
[citation needed] Over twenty million tourists visit San Antonio and its attractions every year, contributing substantially to its economy, primarily due to The Alamo and the River Walk.
Notable African-American cultural point of interest includes the San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum.
San Antonio Black Restaurant Week will showcase food trucks and Black-owned businesses such as health and wellness, catering and event planning companies.
[37] Notable artists in San Antonio include Lil Sin, and P.K.O., Worldwide, Richie Branson, Cadillac Muzik, King Kyle Lee, and Mike Dimes.
