Huston-Tillotson University (HT), a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), plays a crucial role in Austin’s Black history. Established in 1875 as Tillotson College, it is the oldest higher education institution in Austin and the city’s only HBCU. The university was created by combining two Black colleges in Austin. Its campus is in East Austin, an area previously segregated under Jim Crow laws. Today, this area is recognized as the Six Square Black Cultural District, a center for the local African-American community.
Samuel Huston College, which combined with Tillotson College in 1952 to form HT, was established in 1876. Jackie Robinson, the first African American Major League Baseball player, was the Athletic Director and basketball coach at Samuel Huston College before the merger. Most HBCUs, including HT, were founded in the Reconstruction era following the Civil War to address the segregated education system.
Even after the 1954 de-segregation of schools due to the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling, HBCUs continued to provide higher education to all students, with a focus on educating Black Americans. Over 100 HBCUs are still active in the United States today.