Austin Historical Black Experience Walking Tour

This historical walking tour takes guests through the presence of Black people in the heart of downtown Austin. Since Austin’s establishment in 1839 and before, people of African descent have played an integral part in this city’s development. We journey through centuries of histories, contributions, and experiences that are seldom told. We will explore the history of enslavement in Austin, routes to freedom in Mexico for enslaved persons passing through Austin, and the Black businesses and institutions that once flourished downtown. On this one-mile walk, guests will engage in dialogue about Black people's role in Austin’s development and their continued presence.
Please reserve up to 2 hours for this tour to accommodate walking between points of interest and time to discuss topics.

Meeting Point

Texas African American History Memorial

100 W 11th St, Austin, TX 78701, USA

Address: 1100 Congress Avenue (Intersection of 11th St. & Congress Ave.)

Not included:

• Tips

What to expect:

Duration: 2 hours

Texas African American History Memorial

100 W 11th St, Capitol State Grounds, Austin, 78704-1728, Texas

The Texas African American History Memorial is located on the Texas State Capitol Grounds. Here we will contextualize Texas’ African history from Spanish colonial times through the present. We will set the stage for “King Cotton” and Austin’s prominence as a cotton production and manufacturing hub.
The Texas Capitol building was completed in 1888. At its completion it was one of the tallest buildings in the world. However, what is often omitted from this building’s history is the large number of incarcerated Black men and women that were forced through “convict-leasing” to mine for the materials and construct the edifice.

30 minutes

Texas Governor's Mansion

1010 Colorado St, Austin, 78701-2334, Texas

Discuss the history of slavery in Austin and Travis County at the mansion, including the construction of the building. Here we bring humanity to those who were enslaved in Travis County. We highlight some important folks in Austin's history.

15 minutes

Wooldridge Square

900 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78701, USA

This park/square dates back to the Waller Plan of 1839, which plotted the city. Wooldridge Square was one of the original four squares in the city. Over time, this square saw the construction of many of Austin’s first Black churches, schools and social institutions. Booker T. Washington gave a monumental speech here in 1911. Here we will discuss the origins of Austin’s Black community post-enslavement and the role African-Americans played in the development of the state and city.

15 minutes

Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Court House

1000 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78701, USA

Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Court - This courthouse which is adjacent to Wooldridge Square provides a great window into Austin’s role in maintaining Jim Crow racial segregation in the U.S. In 1946, during Sweatt v. Painter, the State of Texas upheld racial segregationist policies, which barred African-Americans admission to The University of Texas at Austin. Thurgood Marshall argued this case in Austin. Here we will discuss the role African-Americans have played in the Civil Rights Movement at the local, state and national levels.

15 minutes

Paramount Theatre

713 Congress Ave, , Austin, 78701-3216, Texas

Walk down Congress Ave and discuss the impact of desegregation in Austin and visit the Paramount Theatre, which was a pivotal in the desegregation movement. Here we will discuss the different demonstrations such as the Swim-ins at Barton Springs, and protests on Austin's public transportation system in the 20th Century.

15 minutes

East Sixth Street

Austin, 78701, Texas

The tour will end on Austin’s most famous street, Sixth Street. Before 6th Street was the anchor of the “Live Music Capitol of the World '' it was the hub of African American commerce. Here we will discuss what business was like for Black business people and patrons. Here we will also discuss the creation of the Negro Disctrict in 1928, which displaced Black residents from coveted downtown spaces. Blacks were displaced to east Austin.

30 minutes