Join Pease Park Conservancy and Black Austin Tours for an immersive journey through West and East Austin that explores the history, resilience, and cultural legacy of Austin’s Black communities.
The experience begins at Pease Park with a guided 1.5-mile walking tour that uncovers the layered history of Governor Elisha M. Pease’s estate, including the lives of enslaved people before emancipation, the significance of Juneteenth, and the eventual donation of 23 acres that became Austin’s first public park. From there, the tour continues to the historic Hezikiah Haskell House in Clarksville, one of the first of the Austin-area Freedom Communities and one of the oldest neighborhoods in Austin. You’ll learn about Texas Freedom Communities, how most were displaced east of what is now I-35, and why Clarksville’s residents remained in place, exemplifying their resilience, self-determination, and sense of community.
The journey concludes in East Austin with Black Austin Tours’ Tastes & Sounds of the Chitlin’ Circuit. Enjoy a meal (included) from a Black-owned restaurant while live musicians fill the room with the vibrant sounds of gospel, blues, rock, soul, and R&B—celebrating the enduring influence of Black culture on Austin’s identity.
Note: The tour organizer will do their best to observe dietary restrictions but making dietary needs known onsite is the responsibility of the participant. The Pease Park portion of the tour is not ADA accessible.