African American history in San Antonio stretches from slavery through the Civil Rights era

Before the Civil War, enslaved African Americans lived in the San Antonio area. The 1860 census counted 592 enslaved people in the city. After emancipation, freedmen built communities in San Antonio. The East Side became a historic center of Black life in the city.

African American churches, civic groups, and businesses took root on the East Side. They shaped San Antonio's culture and civil rights story. The community played a key role in local civil rights work through the 20th century.

By the 2020 census, Black residents made up about 7% of Bexar County's population. The history of San Antonio's African American neighborhoods and civil rights efforts is kept in local archives and at the University of Texas at San Antonio library. For more, see the TSHA Handbook at tshaonline.org and the UIW Journal of San Antonio.