Global InformationHistory of African Americans in Austin information
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The history of African Americans in Austin dates back to 1839, when the first African American, Mahala Murchison, arrived.[1] By the 1860s, several communities were established by freedmen that later became incorporated into the city proper.[2] The relative share of Austin's African-American population has steadily declined since its peak in the late 20th century.[3]
During the Reconstruction Era, newly emancipated African American slaves began moving from rural areas into towns and cities to establish Freedmen's towns (also known as freedmantowns). Several such communities existed in Austin, including Clarksville, Wheatville, Masontown and Kicheonville.[4]
African Americans have pioneered public safety roles in Austin, including the hiring of the first African American firefighters in the state.[5] African American police officers, rarely seen until the 1930s, were hired by the Austin Police Department since the early 1900s.[6] Officers John Gaines and Tom Allen were the first 2 of 3 officers killed in the line of duty in the history of the agency.[7]
In 1968, Wilhelmina Ruth Delco became the first African American to be elected to public office in Austin.[8] In 1972, Barbara Jordan, a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, was elected to the Texas Senate as the first African American since the Reconstruction Era.[9] Due to historic segregation, Jordan was unable to attend the University of Texas at Austin.[10] Ironically, after retiring from a life of politics, Jordan went on to become an adjunct ethics professor at the university.[11] There is now a statue honoring Jordan on the university campus and a boulevard named in her honor.[12] Pflugerville has the largest percentage black population out of all suburban cities in the Austin metro.[13]
- ^ "African Americans in Austin, TX - a brief history". YouAreHereATX.org. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
- ^ "The Clarksville Effect". www.austinchronicle.com. October 20, 1995. Retrieved 2022-02-15.
- ^ "The Gold Dollar Building and Black Erasure". endofaustin.com. November 21, 2021. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ "City of Austin - Austin History Center: Freedman's Towns". www.austinlibrary.com. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
- ^ "Austin honors barrier-breaking Black firefighter who died in line of duty". KXAN Austin. 2021-07-23. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Caldwell, Clifford R.; DeLord, Ron (2012-09-18). Texas Lawmen, 1900-1940: More of the Good and the Bad. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62584-077-6.
- ^ "Officers Killed in the Line of Duty | AustinTexas.gov". www.austintexas.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ McCartan, Anne-Marie (2017-01-11). Unexpected Influence: Women Who Helped Shape the Early Community College Movement. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4758-2866-5.
- ^ "JORDAN, Barbara Charline | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Barbara Jordan". 2011-07-16. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "Barbara Jordan". Legacy Project Chicago. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ Faires, Robert (April 24, 2009). "The Barbara Jordan Statue at UT". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Pflugerville city, Texas". 18 August 2019.