Into the Time Machine

Long before Houston, Dallas, San Antonio or Austin became major metropolitan areas, Galveston was the hub of  civilized life in Texas. Much of its history, including that of the prominent businessmen, developers and other outsized personalities that helped found the city, has been well documented. The legacy forged by early African Americans, most of them slaves or ex-slaves, is much less well known.

In 2005, members of Galveston’s African American Heritage Committee decided to change that when the organization produced the “Galveston’s African American Historic Places and Pioneers”  guidebook to shine a light on important buildings and landmarks and influential individuals connected to the African American community on the island. The guidebook lists information on about 27 sites around Galveston that had a significant impact on African American life in the mid 1800s and early 1900s.

Also in 2005, volunteers with the non-profit organization began offering free guided tours of the sites described in the guidebook. African American Heritage Committee member Tommie Boudreaux said the guidebook and tours grew out of a desire to preserve the memory of pioneering African Americans.

“When we decided we wanted to create the guidebook, one of the things we realized was that Galveston is home to 14 churches that are now more than 100 years old that served African Americans,” Boudreaux says. “We also knew that Central High School was the first high school in Texas open to African Americans. Once we identified enough significant sites, we decided to start offering guided tours.”

Boudreaux says the guided tours must be made by appointment because the Heritage Committee has no staff standing by to conduct them, but anyone can pick up a copy of the guidebook (available at the Galveston Historical Foundation offices and at the Old Central Cultural Center) and take the tour on their own, although they probably would not have access to the interiors of the sites.

The guided tours, which last about 90 minutes, are done caravan-style, with participants using their own vehicles to follow the tour guide along the route. Boudreaux says the Heritage Committee currently hosts about one or two guided tours per year.

The old churches are the stars of the tour, especially the oldest church, Avenue L Missionary Baptist Church, built in 1840, making it the first African American Baptist church in Texas. Boudreaux says while the original building is long gone, the present church sits on the same property and still holds regular services.

Three other Galveston churches included on the tour were also the first of their denomination for African Americans in Texas: Reedy Chapel A.M.E. Methodist (1848), St. Augustine Episcopal (1884) and Holy Rosary Catholic (1889). Boudreaux adds that Reedy Chapel is home to an 1876 Hook and Hastings pipe organ, one of just two in existence, with the other residing in the Smithsonian Institute.

“Many of the slave owners approved of church services for their slaves and Sunday was usually the only day of rest for the slaves. Many of the churches started out in white churches and over the years members secured the land to start their own congregations,” Boudreaux says.

Another memorable site on the tour is the Central High School building, although what’s left of the original structure now houses the Old Central Cultural Center. Opened in 1885 and closed in 1957, the school was, for most of its existence, the only school open to Texas African Americans who wanted to earn a diploma.

The tour also takes participants past the address where early20th century boxing great Jack Johnson was born, though his birth home no longer stands.

To schedule a tour, call 409-744-1491.