Religion & Faith

The African American Church has throughout history played a crucial, multifaceted role in the development and sustenance of Black Communities in America. This fact is well illustrated in the story of East Austin’s past and present. The brief histories presented here will provide insight into the chronological development of East Austin’s most historic congregations as community religious institutions. The narratives will also shed light on the Church’s various related roles that help define and support the sense of place and cultural identity of the community. From the inception of Central East Austin’s African American community, in addition to being places of worship, churches have served as neighborhood social gathering places, social services organizations, incubators for political movements, educational facilities, political leadership academies, and neighborhood centers, just to name a few of their attributes.

St. James Missionary Baptist Church

Location

St. James Missionary Baptist Church
3417 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.
Austin, TX, 78721

Mt Sinai Baptist Church

Location

Mt Sinai Baptist Church
5900 Cameron Road
Austin, TX, 78702

Olivet Baptist Church

Location

Olivet Baptist Church
1179 San Bernard Street
Austin, TX, 78702

Wesley United Methodist Church

A member of the National Register of Historic Places since 1985, Wesley United Methodist Church has played an important role in Austin’s history since it was founded in 1865. Established after the end of the Civil War as a parish for freed persons, the first official church meeting was held on March 4, 1865 in the basement of the Tenth Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in Austin, where members had once attended as slaves. The congregation’s first pastor was the Reverend Isaac Wright, who served throughout the church’s formative years, from March 1865 to January 1868.

Locations

Wesley United Methodist Church
1164 San Bernard Street
Austin, TX, 78702

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church

Founded in April of 1907 by the Congregation of Holy Cross to serve the burgeoning community of Catholic residents of Mexican descent in East Austin, Our Lady of Guadalupe was originally located on the corner of 5th and Guadalupe Streets. Direction of the parish was transferred to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1925. The church’s attendance then began to grow under Father Jose Prieto, which necessitated relocation to a larger site for the church and school.

Locations

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church
1206 E 9th St
Austin, TX, 78702

Religion & Faith - Intro

The African American Church has throughout history played a crucial, multifaceted role in the development and sustenance of Black Communities in America. This fact is well illustrated in the story of East Austin’s past and present. The brief histories presented here will provide insight into the chronological development of East Austin’s most historic congregations as community religious institutions.

Southgate Lewis House

Local bookbinder and printer John Southgate had this Gothic Revival style house built for his family in 1888. The high Victorian structure features a bay window, second-floor bands of shingles, and distinctive window surrounds. Businessman Charles Lewis (1872-1922) purchased the home in 1913. A neighborhood ice cream shop and a one-room school operated by his daughter were also on the property during his ownership. The home remained in the Lewis family until 1979.  In 1986 it was sold to the W.H. Passon Historical Society for its headquarters. It was recently renovated.

Location

Southgate Lewis House
1501 East 12th
Austin, TX, 78702

Zion Hill MBC

Location

Zion Hill MBC
1701 Chestnut
Austin, TX, 78702
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