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Downtown Black History Walk in Austin
Black Austin Tours
5.0
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O6159YUjasonk
300 days ago
My wife and I truly enjoyed the tour. We always love to tap into local culture on our trips and visiting Austin and staying downtown made my coworkers’ recommendation a great option.
I don’t recommend missing your arrival time but honorably our guide was patient and Javier reached out to me as I was trying to reach him and see if we can catch the tour en route. He connected us and we were able to take the tour as a trio.
Our guide and the details of the stories at each stop made it more personable. As a student at the local hbcu, he had knowledgeable answers and opened up about his own stories. We got a good sense of the history we were walking in. We also appreciated the convenience store accommodation stop on a hot Labor Day weekend in Texas.
I could say a lot more but my wife and I know that the next time we visit Austin we’ll take the East Austin tour. Peace and thank you Black Austin Tours.
This historical walking tour takes guests through the presence of Black people in the heart of downtown Austin. Since Austin’s establishment in 1839 and before, people of African descent have played an integral part in this city’s development. We journey through centuries of histories, contributions, and experiences that are seldom told. We will explore the history of enslavement in Austin, routes to freedom in Mexico for enslaved persons passing through Austin, and the Black businesses and institutions that once flourished downtown. On this one-mile walk, guests will engage in dialogue about Black people's role in Austin’s development and their continued presence. Please reserve up to 2 hours for this tour to accommodate walking between points of interest and time to discuss topics.
Departure Point
- Address: 1100 Congress Avenue (Intersection of 11th St. & Congress Ave.)
Return Details
- The corner of 6th Street & Brazos
Duration
2 hours
Languages Available
- Human tour guide - English
Points of Interest
Stop At: Texas Governor's Mansion
1010 Colorado St, Austin, Texas
The Texas African American History Memorial is located on the Texas State Capitol Grounds. Here we will contextualize Texas’ African history from Spanish colonial times through the present. We will set the stage for “King Cotton” and Austin’s prominence as a cotton production and manufacturing hub. The Texas Capitol building was completed in 1888. At its completion it was one of the tallest buildings in the world. However, what is often omitted from this building’s history is the large number of incarcerated Black men and women that were forced through “convict-leasing” to mine for the materials and construct the edifice.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Court House
1000 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78701
Discuss the history of slavery in Austin and Travis County at the mansion, including the construction of the building. Here we bring humanity to those who were enslaved in Travis County. We highlight some important folks in Austin's history.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Paramount Theatre
713 Congress Ave, , Austin, Texas
This park/square dates back to the Waller Plan of 1839, which plotted the city. Wooldridge Square was one of the original four squares in the city. Over time, this square saw the construction of many of Austin’s first Black churches, schools and social institutions. Booker T. Washington gave a monumental speech here in 1911. Here we will discuss the origins of Austin’s Black community post-enslavement and the role African-Americans played in the development of the state and city.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: East Sixth Street
Austin, Texas
Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Court - This courthouse which is adjacent to Wooldridge Square provides a great window into Austin’s role in maintaining Jim Crow racial segregation in the U.S. In 1946, during Sweatt v. Painter, the State of Texas upheld racial segregationist policies, which barred African-Americans admission to The University of Texas at Austin. Thurgood Marshall argued this case in Austin. Here we will discuss the role African-Americans have played in the Civil Rights Movement at the local, state and national levels.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Texas African American History Memorial
100 W. 11th St., Capitol State Grounds, Austin, Texas
Walk down Congress Ave and discuss the impact of desegregation in Austin and visit the Paramount Theatre, which was a pivotal in the desegregation movement. Here we will discuss the different demonstrations such as the Swim-ins at Barton Springs, and protests on Austin's public transportation system in the 20th Century.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Wooldridge Square
900 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78701
The tour will end on Austin’s most famous street, Sixth Street. Before 6th Street was the anchor of the “Live Music Capitol of the World '' it was the hub of African American commerce. Here we will discuss what business was like for Black business people and patrons. Here we will also discuss the creation of the Negro Disctrict in 1928, which displaced Black residents from coveted downtown spaces. Blacks were displaced to east Austin.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All Fees and Taxes
Exclusions
- Tips
Voucher Info
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
The tour identified in this promotion is made available through Viator. Groupon is not affiliated with or sponsored by the Black Austin Tours in connection with this deal. Please contact Groupon customer service for all inquiries related to this offer. Inquiries placed to Viator will be directed back to Groupon.
This offer is not eligible for promo codes.
This historical walking tour takes guests through the presence of Black people in the heart of downtown Austin. Since Austin’s establishment in 1839 and before, people of African descent have played an integral part in this city’s development. We journey through centuries of histories, contributions, and experiences that are seldom told. We will explore the history of enslavement in Austin, routes to freedom in Mexico for enslaved persons passing through Austin, and the Black businesses and institutions that once flourished downtown. On this one-mile walk, guests will engage in dialogue about Black people's role in Austin’s development and their continued presence. Please reserve up to 2 hours for this tour to accommodate walking between points of interest and time to discuss topics.
Departure Point
- Address: 1100 Congress Avenue (Intersection of 11th St. & Congress Ave.)
Return Details
- The corner of 6th Street & Brazos
Duration
2 hours
Languages Available
- Human tour guide - English
Points of Interest
Stop At: Texas Governor's Mansion
1010 Colorado St, Austin, Texas
The Texas African American History Memorial is located on the Texas State Capitol Grounds. Here we will contextualize Texas’ African history from Spanish colonial times through the present. We will set the stage for “King Cotton” and Austin’s prominence as a cotton production and manufacturing hub. The Texas Capitol building was completed in 1888. At its completion it was one of the tallest buildings in the world. However, what is often omitted from this building’s history is the large number of incarcerated Black men and women that were forced through “convict-leasing” to mine for the materials and construct the edifice.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Court House
1000 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78701
Discuss the history of slavery in Austin and Travis County at the mansion, including the construction of the building. Here we bring humanity to those who were enslaved in Travis County. We highlight some important folks in Austin's history.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Paramount Theatre
713 Congress Ave, , Austin, Texas
This park/square dates back to the Waller Plan of 1839, which plotted the city. Wooldridge Square was one of the original four squares in the city. Over time, this square saw the construction of many of Austin’s first Black churches, schools and social institutions. Booker T. Washington gave a monumental speech here in 1911. Here we will discuss the origins of Austin’s Black community post-enslavement and the role African-Americans played in the development of the state and city.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: East Sixth Street
Austin, Texas
Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Court - This courthouse which is adjacent to Wooldridge Square provides a great window into Austin’s role in maintaining Jim Crow racial segregation in the U.S. In 1946, during Sweatt v. Painter, the State of Texas upheld racial segregationist policies, which barred African-Americans admission to The University of Texas at Austin. Thurgood Marshall argued this case in Austin. Here we will discuss the role African-Americans have played in the Civil Rights Movement at the local, state and national levels.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Texas African American History Memorial
100 W. 11th St., Capitol State Grounds, Austin, Texas
Walk down Congress Ave and discuss the impact of desegregation in Austin and visit the Paramount Theatre, which was a pivotal in the desegregation movement. Here we will discuss the different demonstrations such as the Swim-ins at Barton Springs, and protests on Austin's public transportation system in the 20th Century.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Wooldridge Square
900 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78701
The tour will end on Austin’s most famous street, Sixth Street. Before 6th Street was the anchor of the “Live Music Capitol of the World '' it was the hub of African American commerce. Here we will discuss what business was like for Black business people and patrons. Here we will also discuss the creation of the Negro Disctrict in 1928, which displaced Black residents from coveted downtown spaces. Blacks were displaced to east Austin.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All Fees and Taxes
Exclusions
- Tips
Voucher Info
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
The tour identified in this promotion is made available through Viator. Groupon is not affiliated with or sponsored by the Black Austin Tours in connection with this deal. Please contact Groupon customer service for all inquiries related to this offer. Inquiries placed to Viator will be directed back to Groupon.
This offer is not eligible for promo codes.
Need To Know Info
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services. Offer is not eligible for our promo codes or other discounts. Learn about Strike-Through Pricing and Savings