Lavaca in San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

P.F. Roberts

(1864-1953)

Photographed by James Hulse, December 17, 2024

1. P.F. Roberts Marker

Inscription. Born into slavery in 1864, lawyer Henry Porter Field (P.F.) Roberts came to Texas from Mississippi, after graduating as valedictorian from Tougaloo University in 1893, to pursue a career in teaching. His first job was teaching at Floresville. He moved to San Antonio in 1895 to teach at the Norris Wright Cuney School in the Baptist settlement, a racially diverse neighborhood adjacent to downtown. In 1906, Roberts purchased a commercial building near this site. This became Roberts' first grocery store and was likely the first African American-owned business in the neighborhood. In 1914, Roberts married educator Ira Aldridge Kilpatrick (1889-1987), and the couple had one daughter.

By 1915, Roberts had bought a house and another store in the Denver Heights neighborhood and was teaching at the Douglass School. His original store, which he sold in 1922, was demolished along with the rest of the Baptist settlement in the 1960s as part of a city-wide urban renewal project. Roberts co-founded the San Antonio Chapter of the NAACP in 1918 and served as president in the early 1930s. Meetings were often held at his Denver Heights home, as members worried that their previous meeting location, St. Paul United Methodist Church, would become a target for arson. Roberts continued his involvement in the NAACP for many years, serving as treasurer and executive committee member until the mid-1940s. Roberts continued his passion for education late into his life. He would regularly give speeches at student organization events and served on the teachers council until his retirement in 1949 after more than 50 years of teaching. He left a profound legacy in education, civil rights and community engagement.

Erected 2021 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 23344.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in

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these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1864.

Location. 29° 25.002′ N, 98° 29.072′ W. Marker is in San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County. It is in Lavaca. It is at the intersection of East César E. Chávez Boulevard and Indianola Street, on the left when traveling west on East César E. Chávez Boulevard. The marker is located at the corner of the intersection along the sidewalk. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 756 E César E Chávez Blvd, San Antonio TX 78210, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South Texas.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas (approx. 0.2 miles away); "Flower the Tower" (approx. 0.2 miles

Photographed by James Hulse, December 17, 2024

2. P.F. Roberts Marker

away); Acequia Madre de Valero (approx. ¼ mile away); Halff House (approx. 0.3 miles away); El Quartel (El Cuartel) (approx. 0.3 miles away); The German-English School Buildings (approx. 0.3 miles away); Commemorating (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Fairmount Hotel (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Antonio.

The view of the P.F. Roberts Marker along the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, December 17, 2024

3. The view of the P.F. Roberts Marker along the street

Credits. This page was last revised on December 18, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 18, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 164 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 18, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.