San Antonio's Black Heritage

January

MLK March

People gather from around the country on the third Monday in January to commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. What started as a grassroots effort in 1968 by the Rev. R.A. Callies has grown into the largest march in the nation. The celebration, sponsored by the City of San Antonio, is spread over multiple days and climates, with over 300,000 people gathering to march for human and civil rights.

DreamWeek

The DreamWeek Summit is a multi-day series of events designed with a singular purpose: to foster the free exchange of ideas on universal issues affecting the human race. Events take various forms, from symposiums, panel discussions, and debates to film screenings, concerts, and art exhibits. Since 2013, the summit has grown to include more than 100 partners, hosting over 150 events throughout the San Antonio area annually and attracting a global audience of civic-minded individuals.

February

Black History Month

The month of February celebrates the contributions of African descendants in the United States. Tours, concerts, discussions, art galleries, exhibitions and shows are available daily throughout the city.

African American Book Festival

The fourth Saturday in February, the Friends of the Carver Library host this annual book festival celebrating the power of Black voices in writing and storytelling.

Black Restaurant Week

Black Restaurant Week San Antonio (BRWSA) is a week-long event that celebrates the contributions of Black-owned restaurants, food trucks, and businesses along with Black professionals in the culinary industry.

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.

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)!