FEBRURARY 2, 2023 — Throughout February, UTSA will celebrate the lives, culture, contributions and history of the African American community. Students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to join several student organizations, colleges and departments at events recognizing people and places that have made an impact in Black history.
UTSA’s signature Black History Month event will be a historical marker celebration held in downtown San Antonio. The university and Frost Bank will honor the site of what was once one of the few African American-owned businesses in San Antonio: the P.F. Roberts Store. The public is invited to join in the celebration.
The event will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 22 at the corner of Indianola Street and E. César E. Chavez Blvd. – formerly the address of 301 Victoria St. and the site of the store.
The marker dedication is the capstone to efforts by the UTSA Center for Cultural Sustainability, which nominated the 301 Victoria St. site in June 2021 for Recorded Texas Historic Landmark status from the Texas Historical Commission. The designation honors P.F. Roberts, who opened his namesake grocery store in 1906.
Other Black History Month events include tabling from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27 at the McKinney Humanities Portico. Hosted by the Women of Honor at UTSA, the tabling is an informal and interactive event where students can come and learn about the organization and take part in a crossword filled with the names of impactful African American leaders.
Additionally, there will be events tied to the ongoing exhibit, Delita Martin: Her Temple of Everyday Familiars, A Retrospective. Presented by the UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts and UTSA Arts, the exhibit features the work of this expert printmaker known for creating representations of Black women in complex and luxuriant narrative portraits. Included is an artist talk and catalogue signing, scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 24, at the UTSA Southwest Campus.
The exhibit runs through Friday, March 22 in the Santikos Building at the UTSA Southwest Campus.
