New art is a tribute to early Black church in San Antonio
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"Presence of the Past" by artist Gordon Huether on the San Pedro Creek. Photo: Megan Stringer/Axios
New public art along the San Pedro Creek Culture Park honors an early Black church in San Antonio.
Why it matters: The St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church was the first of its kind in the city where Black people could worship freely, per the San Antonio River Foundation.
Zoom in: The San Antonio River Foundation unveiled two installations, tributes to the church by California-based artist Gordon Huether, last month for Juneteenth.
- "Presence of the Past" features historic quilt patterns that allow light to filter in. The names of the original parishioners are inscribed on an altar.
- In "Culture Crossing Pavilion," the quilt patterns were developed by former San Antonio poet laureate Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson in conjunction with San Antonio residents and current church members. Sanderson also worked with parishioners on a poem etched around the quilt patterns.
Catch up quick: The original church's foundation along the San Pedro Creek downtown was uncovered in 2020, when construction workers were clearing out the area to develop the creek into the walkable corridor it is now.
Flashback: Several early church members were among the first Black men in Bexar County to register to vote in 1867, when the church was organized. In 1873, they purchased the former Menger Soap Works factory along the creek to be their permanent place of worship.
- Members also formed the first Black firefighters' organization and the first lodge of Free Black Masons.
Context: By 1878, the congregation relocated to a newly built church. They moved again in 1928 to their present-day home on the near West Side, per Texas Monthly.
If you go: Find the installations at Houston and Camaron streets next to The Alameda Theater.