Sharon Fletcher’s journey from Houston’s Fifth Ward to main one of many metropolis’s most essential historic preservation efforts embodies the very spirit of resilience that defines Freedmen’s City. With 17 years of public service throughout Houston’s authorities departments and a private connection to the neighborhood’s legacy, Fletcher now serves as govt director of the Houston Freedmen’s City Conservancy, the place she works to guard America’s largest intact post-Civil Struggle black settlement.
Her ardour for preserving black historical past and fostering neighborhood empowerment has positioned her as a key power in Houston’s cultural panorama. Via advocacy, training and collaborative initiatives, Fletcher ensures Freedmen’s City’s 160-year legacy continues to encourage future generations whereas internet hosting transformative occasions just like the upcoming Juneteenth 160 Fest.
What impressed your dedication to public service and historic preservation?
I really like after I get this query as a result of it makes me take into consideration how I grew up. I’m a local Houstonian. I grew up in Trinity Gardens in Fifth Ward, and if anyone is aware of town of Houston, these are the inside metropolis communities of Houston. Being in these communities, you see the issues that we don’t essentially at all times have. However I noticed the best way folks would come into the neighborhood and supply and be a supply of advocacy for our communities.
I keep in mind there was a time once we didn’t have computer systems on the neighborhood middle on the condo complicated that I lived, and there was a gentleman who ended up partnering with the Neighborhood Middle at Cleme Manor. Bringing in a number of computer systems in order that our residents might have entry to have the ability to do a few of these issues that had been taking place on-line, utilizing computer systems, making issues a bit bit extra environment friendly, however on the similar time instructing folks laptop literacy. So me witnessing these items that occur throughout the board in my neighborhood, it sparked one thing in me to say after I get an opportunity to develop up and do some issues, I wish to be able to serve and be an advocate, so public service was my pure route.
After selecting public service, working for town of Houston for about 17 years, I labored in Houston Public Works, the Houston Public Library, main particular tasks and initiatives, after which I did my ultimate rodeo in Metropolis Council, the place I served as deputy chief of workers for Councilmember Abbie Kamin’s workplace.
As soon as I used to be doing that work, I had a chance all through my metropolis tenure to be engaged with the neighborhood of Freedmen’s City. Over this era of 17 years, I discovered fairly a bit about Freedmen’s City and studying that it was the oldest black settlement right here in Houston. After I determined to transition, that chance dropped in my lap, and there it was, a chance to work in Freedmen’s City for the Houston Freedmen’s City Conservancy. I felt like, in that second, I had discovered my objective, work that I needed to do particularly round African Individuals and me and my household and what we characterize.
Why is Freedmen’s City such an important a part of Houston’s cultural id?
Freedmen’s City is the oldest black settlement put up Civil Struggle. I at all times say it’s the oldest settlement not solely put up Civil Struggle, nevertheless it’s just like the second coming of emancipation. The preliminary proclamation was executed January 1st, 1863, however Texas doesn’t see the consequences of the Emancipation Proclamation till June nineteenth, 1865. So two and a half years later, you get this announcement that occurs in Galveston, and you’ve got of us who migrate from Galveston and Matagorda County and Brazoria, and even Louisiana, and migrate to Houston.
They settled on the south banks of Buffalo Bayou, which basically, at that individual cut-off date, was a swampland. It was uninhabitable, however after all, us being the fierce black those who we’re, we’ll make a manner out of no manner. You get this neighborhood that begins off as a tent neighborhood, and also you get to this neighborhood that we get to expertise immediately that has seen properties and church buildings and faculties constructed inside a neighborhood.
The African American journey from emancipation to Freedmen’s City is a big one, not just for Houston’s historical past or black historical past, nevertheless it’s an American historical past story. You have got the place black troops, US coloured troops, are introduced in to make sure that emancipation occurs. It’s a timeless piece of historical past, however it’s also this place that started Black Houston and the Black Houston expertise.
Earlier than folks knew in regards to the Fifth Wards and the Third Wards, it was Freedmen’s City. That was the Black Wall Avenue earlier than folks knew Black Wall Avenue. At one cut-off date, Freedmen’s City had over 400 black companies. It was residence to 95% of the black center class.
It had the primary two-story residence constructed by a black man, which was Jack Yates. His household was separated when this combat for slavery wanted to be saved. So his spouse and youngsters had been taken to Texas basically, and he remained in Virginia for fairly a while, however he re-entered slavery to be along with his household. Now, if that’s not a great man, I don’t know what is an efficient man, to surrender your freedom and re-enter slavery to attach with your loved ones.
There’s not one other place that has over 35 historic constructions and property which are left from 1865 shifting into the present day of 2025. We’ve bricks within the streets that had been laid by African Individuals that lived in a neighborhood which are over 100 years previous. The neighborhood of Freedmen’s City is a vital place that individuals ought to go to if they need an genuine cultural expertise.
How do you outline cultural preservation past simply defending buildings?
It’s actually essential not solely to have the ability to see and really feel the tangible property in Freedmen’s City, nevertheless it’s additionally part of having the ability to reclaim the narrative and having the ability to shield the story and the tales which are inside the story of Freedmen’s City. So the work that we do as a conservancy isn’t just round defending these bodily property. It’s additionally round amplifying and telling the story of freedom.
At our Freedmen’s City Customer Middle is the place we host activations, occasions and applications that permit us to take deeper dives into the story, deepen the connection of these tales and actually assist folks make placement of Freedmen’s City and its time and its place inside historical past in order that they perceive what was taking place.
I’ve a connection to Freedmen’s City. I graduated from Booker T. Washington Excessive Faculty, which was initially in Freedmen’s City. In 1993, I had a chance to rejoice the Centennial 12 months of Booker T. Washington. At the moment I actually didn’t know what it meant, however coming into this work and having a full circle second, I perceive an entire lot higher about my expertise at Booker T. Washington and why the lecturers made us have this customary of excellence that we couldn’t refuse and understanding why it was essential for us to succeed.
Understanding the story of Freedmen’s City and placing that with my cultural expertise in highschool at Booker T. Washington, which is the oldest highschool for African Individuals in Houston, experiencing that’s a type of issues that I take to coronary heart to have the ability to use as I’m sharing the story of Freedmen’s City with others and to carry place for our kids who want to have the ability to perceive the previous with a view to go ahead sooner or later.
What can folks count on from the Juneteenth 160 Fest?
The 160 Fest commemorates 160 years of emancipation, nevertheless it additionally commemorates 160 years of this neighborhood having the ability to develop into what we see immediately. After all you’re gonna have some good meals. You’re going to have some good music, and also you’re going to have some good household vibes. We’re undoubtedly within the house to attach and have a great time. However we’re additionally in an area the place we’re speaking about constructing one another up.
Our marketing campaign “Constructing What We Began” is included on this Juneteenth 160 Fest. We’ll have workshops on wealth constructing and cultural leveraging to ensure that of us to make that connection in direction of entrepreneurship, collaboration and neighborhood that will likely be hosted by Heist Company Houston. We may have “Black at Microsoft” that’s instructing tradition and co-pilot within the house. We’ve an artist by the identify of Aris Brown who will likely be doing an exhibition workshop over her present exhibition house for us, which is a poetry exhibition that’s showcasing fairly just a few girls poets of their journeys into Freedmen’s City from varied backgrounds and areas.
We may have a wellness second by Miss Raveen Alexis, so we will likely be doing yoga on this house. We’ve loads of video games, actions, together with dominoes and playing cards, as a result of y’all know we love spades, and we like to play dominoes, however on the similar time we’ll have some nice meals.
Most excitingly, we’re going to have a hearth chat with Dr. Marc Lamont Hill at 5 o’clock. We’re going to be speaking about this centralized dialog round constructing what we began and the way can we proceed to protect the tales like Freedmen’s City? After which, after all, we’ll have a dance get together on the finish of the day that’s going to have sounds by Soul Management that includes DJ Elevated, who’s a local Houstonian.
Inform us about “Our Street Residence” at historic Bethel Baptist Church.
“Our Street Residence” is actually a dance, rhythmic expression kind of efficiency, and basically, it’s constructed on how we related and communicated with one another by means of dance and motion and step. Jakari Sherman, who’s the founder and artistic director of [Jk]creativ, that is his first present again at residence. He’s executed some items in Washington, DC over Jacob Lawrence. He’s executed some work with Step Afrika! as properly, however this will likely be his first piece featured in Houston on the Bethel Historic Church website, which is a historic church to the neighborhood of Freedmen’s City, and it’s been reimagined for the needs of gathering locally of Freedmen’s City.
Folks can count on to be taught extra in regards to the journey of freedom by means of dance and step and sound because it pertains to our communities by means of that presentation. Of us can get their tickets at houstonfreedmenstown.org. The tickets are solely $25, and people $25 tickets proceed to assist us be capable of do that work locally.
What challenges do you face in preserving Freedmen’s City?
Simply getting folks to know extra about Freedmen’s City. That consciousness is a part of the difficult half, being seen so that individuals can see and have tangible experiences that they discover significant and essential and impactful.
After all, you at all times must undergo the maze of getting native authorities and state authorities and federal authorities to acknowledge us at such locations, however we’ve been privileged over the previous couple of years with doing that work of getting the Metropolis of Houston native authorities on board with the work that we’re doing when it comes to not simply heritage tourism, but additionally because it pertains to preserving the bodily property locally, working alongside of neighborhood who’s model new into the neighborhood of Freedmen’s City.
Persevering with, after all, to do the funding half, as a result of writing the grants, writing the proposals, making certain that you’ve got workers and capability to have the ability to run an area and be capable of present programming and occasions, these have been the challenges. However we’re experiencing some nice help from our native philanthropic teams in Houston and likewise nationwide philanthropic teams as properly.
What victories are you most happy with?
“Rebirth in Motion” is a mission that we’re at the moment engaged on. We’ve been capable of get by means of a design idea report which included town. Considered one of our companions on this, alongside of town of the Up to date Arts Museum Houston and Theaster Gates, who’s a world famend artist as properly, however working by means of this “Rebirth in Motion” mission, we had been initially awarded a $1.25 million grant by means of Mellon and thru NEA with a view to do that work.
Having the ability to fully protect these historic brick streets that we have now left as a part of this mission is an incredible win for us. Together with having the ability to do some further work with the restoration of three homes, a pavilion to accommodate the historic bricks briefly whereas the capital enchancment mission is labored on, after which, after all, that house later turns into a cultural hub for the neighborhood for occasions.
We opened up the Freedmen’s City Customer Middle nearly a 12 months and perhaps 20 one thing days in the past, and we’ve already seen nice traction coming in. We’ve hosted the likes of Texas Southern College, College of Houston, Rice College. We’ve direct partnerships with plenty of these greater training establishments. We’ve fairly just a few company entities which are supporting and coming again and asking us to do shows to their of us.
What’s your dream for Freedmen’s City within the subsequent 5 years?
My dream for Freedmen’s City over the subsequent 5 years, actually having the ability to see the restoration of the brick avenue that we have now left, Andrews and Wilson Avenue, having the ability to see the activation of the pavilion that we’re erecting there, and people coming and simply having fun with concert events and connecting inside the neighborhood of Freedmen’s City, having the ability to absolutely restore 2 homes that we’re engaged on, that we’ve saved from demolition.
We at the moment have about $350,000 left to lift. We’ve raised over $600,000 for these properties, however we’re wanting folks to remain completely related to the neighborhood of Freedmen’s City for individuals who have a legacy and have roots there. I think about these 2 homes being executed and being in that everlasting inexpensive housing house.
I think about these 10 historic properties down the road from us being fully revitalized for incubators, for companies and native retailers and artists residency. In 5 years, I see a revitalization second that occurs in Freedmen’s City the place folks can come, dwell, work and play and luxuriate in a great cultural expertise together with it.
How can folks become involved and help the conservancy?
The Conservancy will be discovered at www.houstonfreedmenstown.org. You can also discover us on Instagram, Fb, TikTok, YouTube. As a matter of reality, we’re launching our “Constructing What We Began” docuseries on YouTube. So having a look on the companies that we’ve been capable of accomplice with to have the ability to inform their tales of how they’ve gotten began.
We wish to proceed to construct on the 5 pillars of Freedmen’s City, which is household, training, religion, entrepreneurship and neighborhood. For people who wish to simply get in there with us, don’t hesitate to return and volunteer. You can even donate. Many of those tasks that I simply talked about to you might be on our web site so that you can actively be capable of give to. Each single greenback is used for the preservation of this neighborhood, whether or not or not it’s by means of the tangible property or the storytelling.
Occasion Data
Juneteenth 160 Fest June nineteenth, 2025, 1-8 p.m. Houston Freedmen’s City Conservancy Customer Middle 1204 Victor St, Houston, TX Free basic admission, $35 ticketed fireplace chat with Dr. Marc Lamont Hill
Our Street Residence June twentieth, 2025, 7-8:30 p.m. Historic Bethel Baptist Church 801 Andrews St, Houston, TX $25 tickets
For extra info and tickets, go to houstonfreedmenstown.org or observe @HoustonFreedmensTown on social media.
