News
September 01, 2010
Dallas and the African-American Experience
One of the many interesting things that is a part of our Dallas Arts District Architecture Walking Tour is the story of Freedmans Town. After the Civil War, several African-American communities sprang up around the area. One of the most vibrant was in what is now the east end of the Arts District. Let’s take a closer look.
The neighborhood around what is now Hall and Central was one of the largest African-American neighborhoods in the post-Civil War era. Fortunately, several buildings associated with the settlement remain: Booker T. Washington High School, the Moorland YMCA (now the home of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre) and St. Paul United Methodist Church.
St Paul’s celebrates its 137th anniversary this year, and D Magazine took a look at the church’s history in a recent article. It’s exciting to see the church and its wonderfully mis-matched bricks after a recent complete restoration.
The restoration and construction in the area has also prompted an archaeological exploration of nearby sites, revealing artifacts portraying the history of the neighborhood. The Juliette Street Archaeological Project site has some fascinating stuff. Check it out.