History of African Americans in San Antonio

Many African Americans in Texas remained in slavery until after the U.S. Civil War ended. There was scarce Union Army activity in Texas, preventing them from joining the Northern lines. 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. Ellis Alley was one of the first African-American neighborhoods in San Antonio. The city had a few (168) black slaves among its 3,436 people.[1] Although slavery ended after the U.S. Civil War, by the mid-1870s racial segregation became codified throughout the South, including Texas. 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. Racial segregation ended in the mid-1960s. On March 16, 1960, San Antonio became the first southern city to begin integration of its small restaurants. In the 1970s, the African American population in San Antonio was 7.6 percent. Forbes ranked San Antonio in one of The Top 10 Cities Where African-Americans Are Doing The Best Economically.[2] 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.[3] Ivy Taylor was also the first African American to be elected mayor of San Antonio and only the second woman in the position.[4]

In the 1970s, The African American population in San Antonio was 7.6 percent.[1] The East Side of San Antonio has a large concentration of predominantly African American residents. The African American population is now 6.9 percent. Denver Heights is historically one of the oldest black neighborhoods in San Antonio. Outside of the East Side, the San Antonio black population of both working and middle-class black families is located on the diverse Northeast Side in areas like Camelot, Converse, Sunrise and Dignowity Hill as their presence has been around since the 1980s and 90s. Recently African Americans are moving to San Antonio for affordable cost of living in the New Great Migration.

Ivy Taylor was also the first African American to be elected mayor of San Antonio and only the second woman in the position.[4] Taylor was elected to San Antonio City Council in 2009 to represent District 2 on the east side of the city, and was re-elected to the body in 2011 and 2013.[5][6] The Alamo City Black Chamber of Commerce in San Antonio was established in April, 1938.

The San Antonio Observer is the only African American Newspaper in San Antonio since 1995 and the largest in all of South Texas.

Mount Zion First Baptist Church is an historic African American church located at 333 Martin Luther King Drive in San Antonio, Texas. 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. In 1949 the Reverend Claude Black Jr. became pastor and lead the church to national prominence in the National Baptist Convention. 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. The church was burned down by arson in 1974, but rebuilt the following year.

Notable African-American cultural point of interest includes the San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum.

• Megan Thee Stallion rapper born in Bexar County, Texas
• Ivy Taylor Former Mayor of San Antonio
• P.K.O rap group
• Lil Sin rapper
• David Robinson Former San Antonio Spur
• Mel Waiters American R&B singer
• Al Freeman Jr American Actor
• Bo Outlaw American professional retired basketball player
• Shaquille O'Neal American professional retired basketball player, graduated from Robert G. Cole High School
• Clifford Scott American saxophonist and flautist
• Worldwide rapper
• Richie Branson rapper
• BillyRay Sheppard saxophonist and recording artist

• History of the African Americans in Texas
  • History of African Americans in Dallas-Ft. Worth
  • History of African Americans in Houston

https://www.blacksinsanantonio.com/