FEBRUARY 22, 2024 — As part of its celebration of the lives, culture and contributions of the African American community, UTSA hosted its signature Black History Month event today in downtown San Antonio.
UTSA and Frost Bank held a historical landmark celebration to honor the site of what was once one of the few African American-owned businesses in San Antonio: the P.F. Roberts grocery store.
Born Henry Porter Field Roberts, the former law clerk for Sam Houston moved to San Antonio in 1895 to teach at the Norris Wright Cuney School, located in what was then the Baptist Settlement Neighborhood.
With the aid of his own entrepreneurial ambitions and a $2,000 loan from T.C. Frost, the founder of Frost Bank, Roberts opened his namesake grocery store at 301 Victoria St. at what is now the corner of Indianola St. and E. César E. Chávez Blvd.
Today’s landmark dedication was the capstone to efforts by the UTSA Center for Cultural Sustainability, which nominated the 301 Victoria St. site in June 2021 for Recorded Texas Historic Landmark status from the Texas Historical Commission.
“The story of P.F. Roberts speaks to the rich cultural history that has made San Antonio the vibrant city that it is today,” said Teresa Niño, UTSA vice president for university relations. “UTSA is dedicated to preserving the heritage of those who shaped our city, and we are proud to have played a part in securing landmark status for this site, one of the few African American-owned businesses in San Antonio at that time.”
Pat Frost, former President of Frost Bank and the great-great grandson of the bank’s founder, added, “Our founder, T.C. Frost, envisioned a prosperous San Antonio by supporting leaders in our community, like Mr. Roberts. Today’s dedication is an example of our commitment to our customers that has remained the same for more than 150 years.”
Spearheading the work to achieve landmark status for Roberts’ store was William Dupont, The Conservation Society of San Antonio Endowed Professor and director of the Center for Cultural Sustainability. He convened a team of UTSA researchers, including Charles Gentry, Anthony Vannette and Kelsey Brown, to write the nomination.
“The research was there, but it hadn’t been compiled and publicized,” said Gentry, who serves as a lecturer at UTSA and as a historic preservation specialist for the City of San Antonio.
Assisting in the research and providing background information for this project was P.F. Roberts’ grandson, Ernest Stevenson Qadimasil.
“My grandfather couldn’t have done it without Frost’s help,” Qadimasil said. “Frost risked his business and risked his physical life, giving money to my grandfather during that time.”
He added, “This event is monumental for San Antonio. This is major, that the true facts can be brought forth to the citizens of San Antonio.”
Roberts was an advocate for civil rights and served as a founding member of the NAACP San Antonio Chapter. He is said to have hosted many local and national leaders for civil rights meetings, including Thurgood Marshall.
“San Antonio was pivotal in the civil rights movement,” Qadimasil added. “Important litigation was developed here.”
The continued effort to shine light on San Antonio’s diverse history remains in the forefront of UTSA’s research.
“We hope to continue the process and establish more historic sites like this throughout the Black community in San Antonio, from the Eastside to Denver Heights,” Gentry said.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Come to the Alamodome for the season's first UTSA Football Home Game and participate in Rowdy Rush! Wear your best orange UTSA fit for this Orange Out game. Come to the Student Indoor Tailgate before kickoff to play games, eat food, and get hyped to cheer on the Roadrunners as they take on the Owls! Then be part of Rowdy Rush to form the tunnel for the players' entrance before kickoff.
AlamodomeCheer on the UTSA Soccer team as they take on Colorado State. Head over to Park West for this spirited experience!
Park West Athletic ComplexIn observance of Labor Day, UTSA will be closed on Monday, September 2. Plan a day exploring San Antonio with your roommate(s) and new friends.
Main Campus and Dowtown CampusLearn some planning, researching, and writing tips to help you with upcoming writing assignments.
Writing Center, (JPL 2.01.12D,) John Peace Library, Main CampusUTSA Police Department and Office of Risk and Emergency Management will host a safety information center with giveaways and interactive demonstrations. Both departments will provide information on services available to the UTSA community.
Student Union Window Lounge, Main CampusExplore ways of engaging with the community through our community-based work-study program. Voter registration and voter engagement opportunities with our community partners will also be shared.
McKinney Humanities Breezeway, Main CampusEnjoy an ice-cold paleta while learning about the parking options.
East Campus Lot 1 and Brackenridge Lot 5, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.