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Want to know more about Black history in Texas? Visit these historical landmarks

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Want to know more about Black history in Texas? Visit these historical landmarks



Texas has a rich history of Black historical figures that have made their mark in the Lone Star State. Whether living here or visiting, there’s many Black history monuments to seek and learn from.

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Texas has a rich history of Black historical figures who have made their mark in the Lone Star State. Whether living here or visiting, there are plenty of Black history monuments to seek and learn from. 

Here is a site of public landmarks in Texas to see during Black History Month: 

Jack Johnson Historical Marker 

2627 Avenue M, Galveston, TX

Before there was Muhammed Ali, there was a braggadocious boxer from Galveston, Texas known as Jack Johnson. Johnson was the first African-American world heavyweight champion and a controversial figure during his time. According to writer and historian Geoffrey C. Ward, Johnson had his quarrels inside and outside the ring. 

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“In 1912, the U.S. government indicted Johnson under the Mann Act in an attempt to tarnish him and discourage his interracial relationships,” says the inscribed historical marker. “He fled the U.S. and lived in exile for eight years. In 1915, Johnson fought his last important match in Havana, Cuba. Although younger, fitter and taller, Jess Willard needed 26 rounds to knock out Johnson and take the heavyweight title. Johnson finally surrendered to federal authorities in 1920. While in prison, he obtained two patents. Johnson continued to fight but never again for a title. He spent his later years as an entertainer and exhibition fighter. A car crash on a North Carolina road ended his life at age 68.” 

Freedmen’s Town 

1300 Victor Street, Houston TX 

After the Texas emancipation of June 19, 1865, many migrated to Houston with their newfound freedom — establishing a hub for their community just southwest of Downtown. This part of town became known as Freedmen’s Town. The town is under a conservancy to help preserve its history. 

African Americans in the Texas Revolution Historical Marker

1100 Congress Ave Austin, TX 

A small park in Downtown Austin, a marker pays tribute to the African American soldiers — both free and enslaved — who joined the Texas Army to fight for independence from Mexico from 1835–1836. They acted as guides, soldiers and interpreters, and also transported supplies. Many of them died defending The Alamo.

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More: Where can you learn more about early Black history in Austin? These sites are worth visiting

Barbara Jordan Statue at The University of Texas at Austin

307 W. 24th St Austin, TX 

Barbara Jordan was a lawyer, educator and politician who became the first Black woman to be elected to the Texas Senate. Breaking several barriers in politics, Jordan became the first Black person and first woman to give a keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention. After her political career, she became a professor at The University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. Jordan died in 1996, becoming the first Black woman to be buried in the Texas State Cemetery. 

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The Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House

2618 Warren Ave, Dallas, TX

Juanita J. Craft was a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement — both President Lyndon B. Johnson and the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. paid her a visit at her home on Warren Avenue. She started 182 rural chapters of the NAACP and was the second African American to serve on the Dallas City Council. Craft played a crucial role in integrating two universities, the 1954 Texas State Fair, and Dallas theaters, restaurants, and lunch counters. As a tribute to her anti-discrimination efforts, Dallas named a city park and recreation center after her.

Curtis House Cultural Center 

630 Washington St. Abilene, TX

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If you’re ever out in West Texas, getting a Black history lesson from Pastor Andrew Penns at the Curtis House Cultural Center is primary. Visitors can take a tour of Curtis House through the various rooms of the two-story house. Each room has a theme such as the military room, with photos of Black Abilenians who have served in the military, including some who died in World War II. 

Still We Rise: El Paso’s Black Experience

510 N. Santa Fe St. El Paso, TX

According to NextCity.org, only four percent of El Paso’s population is Black. But Black El Pasoans keep that history alive through the “Still We Rise: El Paso’s Black Experience” exhibit. 

The exhibit can be seen now through March 16. It highlights the vibrant history of El Paso’s Black community in the decades leading up to and following desegregation. Tracing back to the first documented African American individuals in El Paso, this exhibition highlights generations of Afro descendants’ contributions to the region as they built businesses, homes, and neighborhoods during slavery, Jim Crow era, and beyond. 

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More: Black History Month events in El Paso





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Austin, TX

Everything you need to know about Austin run clubs

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Everything you need to know about Austin run clubs


AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.

Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That

When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.

“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”

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Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.





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Austin, TX

Texas Volts begin first home slate Thursday at Dell Diamond

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Texas Volts begin first home slate Thursday at Dell Diamond


AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Volts are off to a rough start in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, but maybe a little home cooking can help them get right.

After playing their first five games on the road, the Volts open play at Dell Diamond in Round Rock at 6 p.m. Thursday against the Utah Talons, kicking off an 8-game homestand.

Texas Volts Logo (Courtesy Athletes Unlimited Softball League)

It’s the first season the Volts will call Dell Diamond home. In the league’s inaugural season last year, the original four teams competed with a touring schedule that included a stop at Dell Diamond. This is the first year that the AUSL, now a 6-team league, will play in home markets.

They have a roster peppered with local stars, including 2-time NCAA national champion middle infielder Leighann Goode from the Texas Longhorns. Aliyah Binford, a New Braunfels native, played collegiately for Ole Miss and former Texas State pitcher Jessica Mullins made an appearance in the Volts’ previous series against the Carolina Blaze.

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Goode said there’s been a bit of a learning curve, but she credits her teammates for helping her adjust to the league.

“This group has brought me in and taught me stuff, taken me under their wings,” she said. “They’ve done an awesome job.”

Legendary Texas pitcher Cat Osterman is the team’s general manager, and the head coach is Texas State’s Ricci Woodard.

“We’re ready to rock and roll at home,” Woodard said. “I’m anxious to see what happens now that we get to play in our own place.”

Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, joined the team last weekend after a brief contract holdout.

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The Volts are 1-4 this season, picking up their lone win over the Oklahoma City Spark on June 10. They’ll face the Talons in a 3-game series, the Chicago Bandits for a pair June 23-24, and finish the homestand with a 3-game set against the expansion Portland Cascade on June 26-28.

Ryan Sanders Baseball, the organization that owns and operates the Round Rock Express, is an operating partner with the Volts and an investor with the AUSL.



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Austin, TX

Investigators seek clues in small jet crash that killed 1 in Texas, where bystanders rushed to help

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Investigators seek clues in small jet crash that killed 1 in Texas, where bystanders rushed to help


(AP) – Investigators combed through wreckage Wednesday for clues to why a business jet crashed on a Texas highway, killing one person on board after its pilots reported mechanical problems while requesting an emergency landing at a nearby airport.

The fiery crash late Tuesday in Laredo near the Mexican border sent bystanders racing from their cars to help police rescue passengers and crew from the burning aircraft. The crash killed Joshua Baer, a leader in Texas’ technology and startup sectors, the president of Baer’s company told the Austin American-Statesman.

Video from the frantic scene showed someone trying to smash the cockpit glass with a sledgehammer, while others used makeshift levers as they worked to open the plane’s door. Local officials said a firefighter entered the smoke-filled jet to extract one person still inside after the rest had escaped.

“While the loss of life is deeply regrettable, it is nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño told a news conference Wednesday.

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The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating along with the National Transportation Board.

Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez Jr. said investigators working to reconstruct the crash were at the crash site Wednesday.

Crash victim worked to help entrepreneurs launch startups

Baer was the founder and chief executive of Austin-based Capital Factory, which helps entrepreneurs connect with investors and others to launch their businesses.

“Joshua was a fearless leader, a brilliant partner, and a dear friend to so many of us,” Capital Factory President Bryan Chambers told the Austin newspaper.

Capital Factory executives did not immediately return phone messages Wednesday from The Associated Press.

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Baer lived in Austin with his wife and three children, according to his LinkedIn page. He recently taught a student entrepreneur class at the University of Texas at Austin.

“I help people quit their jobs and become entrepreneurs,” Baer said on his LinkedIn page.

In a social media post, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas called Baer “one of the most significant figures driving innovation and entrepreneurship across America.”

Police did not release the name of the person killed, citing a request from family members. Rodriguez said those on the plane included two pilots and three teenagers.

Pilots reported low fuel, electrical issues, airport director says

The Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet departed Tuesday evening from the Mexican resort city of San José del Cabo and was bound for Austin, Texas, the FAA said in a statement.

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The plane was operated by NetJets, a company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway that lets people buy part ownership in private jets. NetJets said in a statement it was cooperating with authorities.

The jet went down at about 10 p.m. Tuesday on the Loop 20 highway, just a few minutes after its pilots radioed the local airport seeking to make an emergency landing. Their call to air traffic controllers “mentioned low fuel and a power outage,” Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez said.

“They had mechanical issues and they lost communication with the tower,” Sanchez said Wednesday, “and that’s when the accident happened.”

Dashcam video posted on social media showed the aircraft careening down the highway and knocking down a light post before coming to a stop near the airport. The jet also barreled into a car, sending one motorist to a hospital in stable condition, said Laredo police investigator Jose Baeza.

Video posted to social media showed the plane on its side, smashed into a highway barrier with the tail ripped from the fuselage.

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“It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” said Zayra Garza, an esthetician who was driving her co-workers home when she came upon the crash.

Garza, who shot video of the scene as her husband ran to help, saw motorists leave their cars to try to help smash the cockpit glass. She said the plane’s door opened and three people who looked like teenagers rushed out, followed by someone who appeared to be a pilot. Another crew member tried to pull out a person who seemed to be unconscious.

Smoke billowed from the plane as a firefighter climbed into the aircraft to rescue the remaining passenger. Police officers helping prop open the door had to back away as they doubled over coughing because of the intense smoke. Police said five officers were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation.

“What was worrying me was the fire,” Garza said. “I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”

This was the third significant aviation accident in as many days. A B-52 crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard, while on Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.

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___

Golden reported from Seattle; Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut; and Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. AP journalists Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.



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