At the Texas State Capitol in Austin stands the Texas African American History Memorial, a bronze monument that tells the story of African American contributions to Texas from the earliest days of exploration through emancipation and into the modern era.
At its center, above the word "Emancipation," two figures stand atop the monument holding aloft the promise of freedom, a symbol for Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the arrival of emancipation in Texas on June 19, 1865.
One of the prominent figures represented on the monument is Estevanico, a Moroccan-born explorer, the first known person of African descent to explore Texas. His journey across North America began in 1528 when the Narváez expedition landed along the shores of today's Jungle Prada.
From that landing site, Estevanico would survive shipwrecks, slavery, and years of hardship to become one of the most important explorers of the American continent. His journey across the North American continent began here in West St. Pete almost 500 years ago.
To read more about Estevanico, visit:
Discover Florida Tours: https://www.facebook.com/discoverfloridatours/posts/pfbid02XKxcmQWC8kbUQtSdD8Dtm1XkyU5B5XKCkoj4yidLstJq4XXNcJsmTwBmCv9YqDT3l
BBC: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260527-estevanico-the-african-explorer-who-crossed-north-america
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estevanico
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| Photo of street art in Estevanico’s home town of Azemmour, Morocco (“Welcome Estevanico”) courtesy James MacDougald. |
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A proposed Narváez
Memorial (Artist's Rendering) courtesy James MacDougald. |
