Walk & Talk | East Austin Black History Tour
Welcome to SXSW 2023! Join kinkofa x Black Austin Tours for a walking tour highlighting the unique contributions and under told stories of African American creatives and entrepreneurs in Austin’s history.
This walking tour takes us on a journey from the beginnings of Austin's Black community through present-day. Throughout our one-mile walk, we’ll visit historic sites in the epicenter of the African American Enclave and hear family stories from native Austinite Dr. Javier Wallace (founder, Black Austin Tours).
You’ll learn about The City of Austin's 1928 Master Plan, creation of the "Negro District", and how Black-owned businesses in East Austin thrived despite the ugliness of Jim Crow segregation. As we walk, Javier will also share stories of family members who played a key role in shaping Austin into the arts, culture, and business hub it is today.
Bonus: After the tour, we'll head to Mr. Catfish & More for a delicious meal and conversation with Javier's uncle, Mr. Homer Hill. Homer is a serial entrepreneur, community leader, and the one of the founders of Austin's annual Urban Music Festival.
THE DETAILS:
1 mile walk, 90 min guided walk
Includes water sourced from a local Black-owned business
Dinner and drinks at Mr. Catfish
Meeting location will be shared with guests 24 hours before the tour begins.
ABOUT DR. JAVIER WALLACE
Dr. Javier Wallace is a Native Austinite with deep roots in the state. My family has been in the Austin area for almost 200 years. We arrived here as enslaved African people when Texas was still a part of Mexico in the 1820s. My father came to Austin in the 1970s on an athletic scholarship from The Republic of Panama. His love for history and community led him to create Black Austin Tours.
MEET KINKOFA:
Founded by Jourdan Brunson and Tameshia Rudd-Ridge, kinkofa is on a mission to reconnect millions of Black families and enhance the public’s understanding of Black Americans contributions to history. Its digital family history platform helps Black folx fill in the gaps in their family trees, preserve their unique origin stories, and reclaim the lost legacies of their ancestors.