San Antonio's Black Heritage

Powerful stories, Vibrant Culture, and Can’t-miss Events Honoring the San Antonio's Black History

From the Spanish exploration of Tejas to the fight for independence and statehood, and into the present day, African descendants have contributed to the region’s history. From involuntary to voluntary migration, the residents of San Antonio include African Americans, African Mexicans, African Indigenous, African Caribbean, and African Natives.

Historically and currently, African descendants in the region worked as explorers, interpreters, soldiers, settlers, educators, pioneers, ranchers, surgeons, military officers, community advocates, publishers, politicians, preachers, doctors, attorneys, business owners, inventors, scientists, artists, entertainers, and much more! We invite you to explore the influence of Africa here in San Antonio year-round.

Exploring San Antonio’s Black Heritage in Arts and Culture

Carver Community Cultural Center

The Carver Community Cultural Center is one of San Antonio’s many meaningful places to experience the city’s Black heritage through the arts.

The Carver celebrates cultures from around the world, with a special focus on African and African American stories and creativity. Here, you can catch everything from dance and live music to theater and spoken word, all in a space rooted in community and culture.

The center features two distinct venues. The Jo Long Theatre hosts a full season of mainstage performances, while the Little Carver Civic Center offers a smaller, more intimate series.

Insider Tip: You'll find the Carver Gallery located in the Jo Long Theatre Lobby, showcasing paintings, sculptures, graphics, photography, and more by local and regional artists. Admission is free; be sure to check ahead for gallery hours.

View Carver Event Calendar

People gathering on Go Rio barge for Black History River Cruise

San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum (SAAACAM)

SAAACAM invites you to discover an untold history filled with rich local stories. Through its community-driven digital archive and engaging exhibits, SAAACAM helps deepen understanding and appreciation of Black history in our city.

Located in La Villita, the museum features digitized and audiovisual displays that bring culture, storytelling, and empowerment to life.

Insider Tip: SAAACAM periodically hosts Black History River Tours and Green Book Civil Rights Tours. Be sure to check their calendar of events for your next opportunity to attend of these events!

View SAAACAM Event Calendar

Celebrate San Antonio's Black Heritage All Year Long

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January

Spotlight On:

39th Annual MLK March

January 19, 2026

San Antonio’s MLK March is a can’t-miss event and one of the biggest MLK Day marches in the country. Walk alongside locals and visitors alike as the community honors Dr. King’s legacy through unity, service, and hope.

Learn more about the route, timing, and how to join in.

Learn More About San Antonio's MLK March

Spotlight On:

DreamWeek San Antonio

January 9-31, 2026

Every January, DreamWeek San Antonio invites you to experience San Antonio through powerful conversations, art, and events that celebrate shared humanity.

See what’s happening during DreamWeek and plan your visit.

Learn More About DreamWeek San Antonio

February

Events & CultureCelebrate Black History Month in San Antonio

February is filled with events celebrating San Antonio's Black Heritage. Check out our guide to events you can attend all month long here.

April

Taste of New Orleans

For over 35 years, the annual “A Taste of New Orleans,” sponsored by the San Antonio Zulu Association, has become one of Fiesta® San Antonio’s most popular events. If you’re looking for fun with a focus on family, the “Taste” is the place to be.

St. Philip’s CultureFest & Rib Cook-Off

The St. Philip’s College Culture Fest and Rib Cook-Off is an official Fiesta® San Antonio and holds a Green Platinum Certificate designation. It is a high-energy and kid-friendly festival featuring a rib cook-off, live music, a car show, food and non-food vendors, and several grill raffles in one location!

Fiesta® Family Blues Festival

On the last Friday of Fiesta, the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum presents their Blues Festival, an official Fiesta event. The event features local and national blues artists, vendors, and food trucks.

three women selling jewelry — St. Philip’s CultureFest & Rib Cook-Off

Made in San AntonioMeet Artist Ismani Sun

San Antonio’s creative community is full of visionary artists who bring depth, color, and cultural richness to the city. Among them is Ismani Sun, a painter, illustrator, and muralist whose work blends spirituality, ancestry, and imagination.

May

Pan African Cultural Festival

Annually, on the first Saturday in May, San Antonio is home to the Pan African Cultural Festival, a free community celebration to promote unity and culture in the African world community.

Enjoy engaging conversation and meet brothers and sisters from the Caribbean, Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, and Mexico. The festival features African drumming and dancing, an African fashion show, a Capoeira demonstration, poetry, storytelling, children’s activities, a Pan-African panel discussion, and more.

June

Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a federal holiday observed on June 19th, celebrating the end of slavery. Although President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 started the nationwide abolishment of slavery, it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that Texans were informed and enforced to comply with the Emancipation Proclamation.

The 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution, passed in January of 1865 and ratified on December 6, 1865, abolished slavery in the United States. San Antonio has celebrated Juneteenth for decades all over the city with a large festival, parade, and many neighborhood events.

July

Reggae Festival

The last weekend of July, San Antonio is home to the Reggae Festival. In addition to music that will keep you rocking all night long, enjoy over 50 food and cultural vendors, including food trucks, frozen treats, Jamaican foods, a children’s playground, face painters, hula hoops, and much more!

August

Omega Psi Phi Annual White Party

The Psi Alpha Foundation (PASF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping create a brighter future for young adults in our community. The annual White Martini Party is the biggest fundraiser of the year, providing scholarships for San Antonio’s Black, Bright, and Bold youth.

October

San Antonio Black International Film Festival

The mission of the San Antonio Black International Film Festival (SABIFF) is to showcase quality film genres indicative of vast Black experiences, advocate for, and support filmmakers of African descent. Held the first weekend of October, here you’ll find many stories, subject matters, voices, and diverse images of Black people throughout the global diaspora that have been historically under-represented.

December

Kwanzaa Market

The Kwanzaa Market is a place where Black businesses and Black entrepreneurs can connect with African American consumers and an opportunity to sell and purchase culturally enriching products, handmade goods, items for Kwanzaa celebration, African-inspired clothing, and accessories. It gives us an opportunity to prepare for the official holiday (Dec 26 – Jan 1) while practicing one of its major principles – Ujamaa (cooperative economics)!