Tenth Street is the only remaining official Freedman’s Town in Dallas, representing over 100 years of community, history, and culture for black Americans. It began after the end of the Civil War when slaves were freed and many decided to move West in search of land and opportunity that they couldn’t get in the South (Solamillo & ArchiTexas, 1994, p. 2). In addition to those who migrated from the South, there were freed slaves that used to belong to William Brown Miller, a prominent cotton farmer in Dallas (Tenth Street Historic District, n.d.).
It took two years for slaves in Dallas to learn about their freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation. After, they began settling and forming their own communities of freed slaves, building churches, homes, and businesses (Solamillo & ArchiTexas, 1994, p. 2).
During the 1930s, Tenth Street struggled to stay alive as many residents moved away to find jobs during the Great Depression. This decline sped up in the 1950s and 1960s, leading to the struggle that the community deals with today. In 1993, the city of Dallas and the Dallas Landmark Commission declared that Tenth Street is a historical landmark in efforts to revive the community (Solamillo & ArchiTexas, 1994, p. 2).
Tenth Street is very important to the South Dallas communities because it represents the culture and power of the freed slaves who lived there and built a community. Its settlers specifically chose that location because it is located on the Trinity River. In West African culture, water is sacred offering regeneration and purity. The original settlers called the river “the Creek” and the branch that flowed into Tenth street were called “the Branch.” Eventually this was removed due to seasonal flooding, but the significance remains as Tenth Street became recognized as a historical landmark (Solamillo & ArchiTexas, 1994, p. 5).
In addition to the location on the river, the Tenth Street settlers built up churches and cemeteries, showing their efforts to build a community with roots. The Oak Cliff Cemetery allowed the settlers to bury their loved ones and establish a place to always have a connection with them. That cemetery still stands today, showing that the roots of the community are still in place despite the evolution of Dallas overall. Now that Tenth Street is preserved, there are efforts to clean up the sites and restore it to its former state (Solamillo & ArchiTexas, 1994, p. 7-8).
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Sources:
Elizabeth Chapel. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://dallascityhall.com:443/departments/sustainabledevelopment/historicpreservation/Pages/Elizabeth-Chapel.aspx
Solamillo, S., & ArchiTexas. (1994). Tenth Street An Historical African American Neighborhood in Dallas. https://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/historicpreservation/HP%20Documents/Districts%20Page/Tenth%20Street%20An%20Historic%20African%20American%20Neighborhood%20in%20Dallas.pdf
Tenth Street Historic District. (n.d.). Dallas Landmark Historic Districts. Retrieved September 27, 2021, from https://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/historicpreservation/Pages/tenth_street.aspx