For over 75 years, the Carver Community Cultural Center has been serving the Eastside of San Antonio. The mission of the Carver Community Cultural Center is to “celebrate the diverse cultures of our world, nation and community, with emphasis on its African and African-American heritage, by providing premier artistic presentations, community outreach activities and educational programs.”
In 1918, the Carver Community Cultural Center was built as a community center for African Americans, which later in the 1930s was repurposed as a “colored library.” In that same year, the center received the name Carver in honor of Dr. George Washington Carver, who was “an American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. He was one of the most prominent black scientists of the early 20th century.”
According to the center’s website, “From the 1940s through the Civil Rights Era, prominent African-American entertainers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Louis Armstrong played at the Carver. However, due to desegregation, the Carver fell into neglect by the early 1970s.” In 1973, the center was to be demolished, but due to the community’s relentless love and passion for the Carver, they used their bodies as shields to stop the building from being knocked down. Their efforts prevailed and in 1977, the Carver was reopened as the Carver Community Cultural Center.
The Carver offers a plethora of opportunities to the whole community. They provide visual, performing and cultural arts experiences, youth summer camps, dance master classes, an art gallery, yoga classes, live performances from singers, bands, dancers, comedians and theatrical productions.
“The Carver is committed to offering diverse artistic and cultural experiences, with a lasting commitment to celebrate, preserve and share Black culture, artistry, and heritage.”
To stay up to date with the upcoming events presented by the Carver Community Cultural Center, visit their website at thecarver.org.
