Blackland Prairies

Blackland Prairies borrows its title from the name given to the fertile ecoregion that stretches from Texas’ northeastern edge to the center of the state, encompassing historically Black regions of Austin. The ecological qualities of this area—its access to fresh water from the Colorado River and rich clay soil—served as a site for generations of Black Texans to construct homes, establish churches and schools, and maintain agriculture. Over time, and through the efforts of segregationist city planners, urban developers, and profit-motivated investors, this landscape has transformed into a site unrecognizable to those Black communities that called this area home for centuries. Blackland Prairies examines this historical transformation through the lens of Black presence. It juxtaposes archival materials sourced from local collections with works by Texas-born and based artists who demonstrate, through disparate methods, how Black histories, memories, and everyday life are present and intertwined within the city’s geography, history, and culture.