Houston, TX

Freedmenstown
DESCRIPTION: Founded just after 1865 and is the oldest African American district in the city; lots of wooden shotgun houses still serve as dwellings; the skyline of downtown Houston grew up as a backdrop on its east side; Rutherford B Yates, son of Jack Yates and the 1st African American printer in Houston lived here; Founder’s Memorial Park sits of the northern edge of the district; today gentrification is gobbling up the edges of this historic district, which are close to downtown

ADDRESS: bounded by I-45 Freeway, Kirby, Montrose and Gray  MAP

PHONE: tour info 713-739-9414

Jack Yates House
DESCRIPTION: In 1870 former enslaved person, Rev John Henry “Jack” Yates (1828-1897) used his carpentry and leadership skills to build this home, which was formerly located in the Fourth Ward; Yates was widely respected for his ability to motivate former slaves to get an education, buy land, build homes and vote; Rev Yates helped establish the first Baptist College in the state which opened in Marshall, Texas in 1881; a few years later, 1885, he helped open the Houston Baptist Academy to prepare students for business, industrial trades, and the ministry; call The Heritage Society for tour times

ADDRESS: 1100 Bagby in Sam Houston Park  MAP

PHONE: 713-655-1912

2209 Dowling Street
DESCRIPTION: Houston’s unofficial headquarters for Civil Rights Movement under the leadership of attorney Eldrewey Stearns, whose office was here; muc of the planning for the first downtown Houston lunch counter sit-in was done here in 1960

ADDRESS: 2209 Dowling Street  MAP

Eldorado Ballroom
DESCRIPTION: Nat King Cole, Ray Charles and Big Mama Thornton sang at this venue on the Chitlin’ circuit; the club was located on the 2nd floor

ADDRESS: Dowling Street at Elgin Street  MAP

Phyllis Wheatley High School
DESCRIPTION: Most older cities with large African American populations have historic schools which showcased the best and brightest; in Houston this Fifth Ward school was among the best; it includes Barbara Jordan and Mickey Leland as alumni since they were Fifth Ward residents

ADDRESS: 4801 Providence Street  MAP

PHONE: 713-671-3900 

Houston Negro Hospital
DESCRIPTION: Now called "Riverside General Hospital", the Houston Negro Hospital completed in 1926, is a three-story building in Spanish Colonial Revival style located in the city’s Third Ward; it was the first non-profit hospital for Black patients in Houston, and it provided a place of work for Black physicians; hospital campus is still in use for medical purposes; listed on the National Register of Historic Places; now called Riverside General Hospital

ADDRESS: 3204 Ennis Street  MAP

Independence Heights
DESCRIPTION: The first Black community in Texas was established around 1908 as middle-class African American families began moving into north Houston; Independence Heights operated as a city from 1915 until its annexation by the city of Houston; it has a Texas Historical Marker and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

ADDRESS: 7818 North Main Street  MAP