African American Heritage Preservation
African American Heritage Preservation
AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE INITIATIVE
In 2022, the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) launched a project to preserve San Antonio’s African American heritage. This project includes the development of an African American Cultural Context Statement, as well as a survey of historic resources. The project identifies significant places, events, and people, in addition to intangible heritage, which includes foods, songs, dances, festivals, and spirituality. Community engagement is essential to this project, contributing to cultural mapping exercises and oral history interviews. The work has resulted in educational exhibits and designations to preserve and promote African American heritage.
This initiative is made possible with generous funding from the Texas Historical Commission, The National Park Service, the Conservation Society of San Antonio, and numerous in-kind services from community partners. (photo credit: all photos on the website banner are courtesy of UTSA Special Collections.)
DreamWeek: Release Party!
As part of DreamWeek we’re having a release party! BOTH the African American and Black Cultural Context Statement AND the graphic novel are complete! Come see the final products and celebrate with us!
Date: Saturday, January 24
Time: 6 pm to 8 pm
Location: Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N Hackberry
Admission: FREE, no registration required!
Join the Office of Historic Preservation during DreamWeek 2026 at the Little Carver, Carver Community Cultural Center to celebrate the completion of BOTH the African American and Black Cultural Context Statement and “A Home, a Church, and a Hospital: The Development of East San Antonio” graphic novel.
African American and Black Cultural Context Statement
The African American and Black Cultural Context Statement is a tool and a resource to help the community, researchers, and preservationists identify important places, events, and forms of intangible heritage such as music, songs, dances, spirituality, festivals, even parade routes. Cultural context statements also help make decisions about preserving cultural heritage. This work will result in local landmark designations, National Register listings, historic markers, and other forms of commemoration.
Graphic Novel: “A Home, a Church, and a Hospital: The Development of East San Antonio”
The graphic novel tells the story of how Charles Bellinger, Greater Corinth Baptist Church, and two nurses helped to shape the Eastside and contributed to San Antonio’s African American history.
The context statement and the graphic novel are a part of the African American Heritage Preservation Initiative. This initiative is a multi-year initiative aiming to identify, promote, and preserve San Antonio’s African American cultural heritage through community collaboration, surveying historically African American neighborhoods, and thoughtful, thorough research.
At the event there will be a presentation as well as light refreshments.
VISION
We will work with the community to tell their own story. Community meetings will be held monthly to gather input and stories from citizens. We will conduct thoughtful, thorough research on San Antonio's Black community. We will be guided by an advisory group of leaders and citizens of the African American Community.
GOALS
- To designate African American cultural heritage resources.
- To build awareness, appreciation, and respect of, and for, African American cultural heritage.