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.

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. 

“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.

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. 

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

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. 

More: Black History Month events in El Paso