The Resilience Project

Resilience Mural Background complete Photo by Tyler Stubblefield

RESILIENCE AT THE FRANKLIN COMMON…

Recognizing that sharing East Austin’s history is important in times of rapid change, this project aims to bring culture awareness among all residents and all races.

The Resilience Project highlights the contributions of African Americans through a hyperlocal lens, honoring the authentic culture of the area, (EM Franklin Ave, Manor, MLK Blvd, Springdale, 12th Street & Airport Blvd). Resilience will be spelled out with images of these community trailblazers stenciled by artist Niz G, honoring the history and culture.

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Honorees:

Nook Turner - Rap Artist Community Activist
Nook Turner, an accomplished rap artist and community activist born and raised in East Austin. For over 20 years Nook has programmed Jump On, a summer long park activation that unites youth and their families under the auspices of live national & local entertainment.at Givens Park.

Roger Taylor Sr. - Neighborhood Activist
Roger Taylor Sr, a community advocate who was the founder and president of the J.J. Seabrook Neighborhood Association.

Wilhelmina Delco - American Politician
Wilhelmina Delco, the first Black legislator from District 50 (Texas House of Representatives), who lived with her husband Exalton Delco in the same well-kept home just south of MLK Boulevard for 59 years. The Wilhelmina Delco Activity Center is located at 4601 Pecan Brook Dr., just a few miles from her home.

JJ Seabrook - Institution Builder
J.J. Seabrook, a well known pastor, educator, institution builder, and community leader. He served as the president of Huston-Tillotson College from 1955 to 1965, and in the 1970s, when 19th Street was renamed as Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Seabrook helped to bridge the divide between Austin’s African American and white citizens.

Dorothy Turner - Pioneering Civil Rights Activist
Dorothy Turner, grandmother of Tiffany Washington, was a pioneering civil rights activist in Austin, who dedicated her life to pushing for freedom, equality, and justice for all in the city. She Co-founded the Black Citizens Task Force alongside Velma Roberts and created Grassroots Struggle, a newspaper with a mission to boldly tell stories about black people and east Austin that weren’t being reported elsewhere.

Harrison Eppright - Historian
Harrison Eppright, an historian born and raised on Greenwood St. blocks from EM Franklin Ave. He is a professional tour guide for Visit Austin, as well as manager of visitor services for the tourism nonprofit here in Austin, Texas and has been providing high quality sightseeing tours for over 16 years, winning the ACVB (Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau) Employee of the year in 2008.

E.M. Franklin Sr. - Legendary Preacher/Singer
E. M. Franklin, Sr., preacher and vocalist, was the esteemed pastor of St. James Missionary Baptist Church for 39 years. He was the lead singer for the Paramount Singers, one of the longest-lived gospel groups of the modern era organized in 1936. After his death, a committee of the church organized to have Redwood Street, in front of St. James, changed to Rev. E. M. Franklin Avenue. Additionally, Franklin Reflections © Reginald C. Adams, 2013 PORTRAIT GUIDE Gardens, the affordable housing complex for seniors located across the street from the church, was built and named in his honor in 2011.

Freddie Dixon Sr. - Community Activist
Dr. Freddie B. Dixon, minister and community advocate residing on Astor Place a few houses from the Delcos with wife Melonie House Dixon. Besides becoming pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in 1973. Rev. Dixon advocated on behalf of civil rights as well as co-founded the Austin Area Urban League local chapter in 1976 that went on to prevent the outright closure of AISD’s African-American junior high, Kealing Middle School, and instead moved the board of trustees to construct a new building for “Kealing Magnet School.”

Bertha Sadler Means - Austin Civil Rights Icon
Bertha Sadler Means, Austin civil rights icon, held many roles in her life — a community leader, political activist, businesswoman and educator. The Austin school district named Bertha Sadler Means Academy for Young Women Leaders after Means, who picketed and protested alongside her friends and family to end Jim Crow segregation in Austin.Bertha and family lived on Astor Place in the MLK Neighborhood.

Dr. Charles Akins - Educator
William Charles Akins, renown educator who served in the Austin district for more than 50 years. In 1964, when the school district began to integrate its faculty, Akins became the first black teacher at Johnston High School, now Eastside Memorial. He later became the first Dean of boys at Johnston, then an assistant principal at Old Anderson and Lanier high schools. He later became an associate superintendent.

Bill Mailman Martin - Gospel Music Legend
Bill "The Mailman" Martin, an iconic gospel music legend and radio personality who attended St. James Baptist on EM Franklin, rose to national fame as an executive board member of the Gospel Music Workshop of America Association, nominated for a Stellar Gospel Music Award, and was later inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Tiffany Washington - Urban Farmer
Tiffany Washington, granddaughter of Dorothy Turner, is an Austin-based Organic farmer who runs Dobbin-Kauv Garden Farm (a quarter-acre urban farm off the corner of Manor Road and Rogge Lane in East Austin that takes its name from two of her ancestral families). Tiffany is an heir to the agricultural legacy of such luminaries as George Washington Carver, who trained thousands of Black farmers in regenerative farming methods, and Booker T. Whatley, the founder of community supported agriculture.

B.W. McClendon - Minister
Pastor B.W. McClendon, evangelist and spiritual leader, serves as current pastor of the St. James Missionary Baptist Church, Vice President of the St. John District Congress, and Chaplain for APD (Austin Police Department).

Cindy Elizabeth - Freelance Photographer
Cindy Elizabeth, a freelance photographer and visual artist, born and raised in East Austin (attended Simms Elementary). She explores the concepts of culture, history, and symbolism in her work while capturing the essence of historically black communal spaces in East Austin.

Resilience spelled out …

R - Nook Turner, Roger Taylor Sr.
E - Wilhelmina Delco, J. J. Seabrook
S - Dorothy Turner
I - Harrison Eppright
L - Cindy Elizabeth
I - E. M. Franklin, Sr.
E - Dr. Freddie B. Dixon, Sr., Bertha Sadler Means
N - William Charles Akins, Bill "The Mailman" Martin,
C - Tiffany Washington
E - Pastor B.W. McClendon

About the Artist, Niz G:

Originally from Peru, she started painting skateboards, grip tape, then gravitated towards graffiti/street art through friends in the hip hop scene.
“The belief in using my voice is paramount to elevate consciousness and promote the importance of community and culture." ~ Niz G

CLick to see work

Learn more: Honoree bios & links

Nook Turner, an accomplished rap artist and community activist born and raised in East Austin. For over 20 years Nook has programmed Jump On, a summer long park activation that unites youth and their families under the auspices of live national & local entertainment.at Givens Park.

Roger Taylor Sr, a community advocate who was the founder and president of the J.J. Seabrook Neighborhood Association from the early 1970's. In 1989, he began leading the charge of his neighborhood association to move our once known Robert Mueller Municipal Airport because of the noise level and danger it possessed. Roger continued to lead the way until the early 2000's when the newly built Bergstrom International Airport was opened.

Wilhelmina Delco, the first Black legislator from District 50 (Texas House of Representatives), who lived with her husband Exalton Delco in the same well-kept home just south of MLK Boulevard for 59 years. The Wilhelmina Delco Activity Center is located at 4601 Pecan Brook Dr., just a few miles from her home.

J.J. Seabrook, a well known pastor, educator, institution builder, and community leader. He served as the president of Huston-Tillotson College from 1955 to 1965, and in the 1970s, when 19th Street was renamed as Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Seabrook helped to bridge the divide between Austin’s African American and white citizens.

Dorothy Turner, grandmother of Tiffany Washington, was a pioneering civil rights activist in Austin, who dedicated her life to pushing for freedom, equality, and justice for all in the city. She Co-founded the Black Citizens Task Force alongside Velma Roberts and created Grassroots Struggle, a newspaper with a mission to boldly tell stories about black people and east Austin that weren’t being reported elsewhere.

Harrison Eppright, an historian born and raised on Greenwood St. blocks from EM Franklin Ave. He is a professional tour guide for Visit Austin, as well as manager of visitor services for the tourism nonprofit here in Austin, Texas and has been providing high quality sightseeing tours for over 16 years, winning the ACVB (Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau) Employee of the year in 2008.

Cindy Elizabeth, a freelance photographer and visual artist, born and raised in East Austin (attended Simms Elementary). She explores the concepts of culture, history, and symbolism in her work while capturing the essence of historically black communal spaces in East Austin.

E. M. Franklin, Sr., preacher and vocalist, was the esteemed pastor of St. James Missionary Baptist Church for 39 years. He was the lead singer for the Paramount Singers, one of the longest-lived gospel groups of the modern era organized in 1936. After his death, a committee of the church organized to have Redwood Street, in front of St. James, changed to Rev. E. M. Franklin Avenue. Additionally, Franklin Reflections © Reginald C. Adams, 2013 PORTRAIT GUIDE Gardens, the affordable housing complex for seniors located across the street from the church, was built and named in his honor in 2011.

Dr. Freddie B. Dixon, minister and community advocate residing on Astor Place a few houses from the Delcos with wife Melonie House Dixon. Besides becoming pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in 1973. Rev. Dixon advocated on behalf of civil rights as well as co-founded the Austin Area Urban League local chapter in 1976 that went on to prevent the outright closure of AISD’s African-American junior high, Kealing Middle School, and instead moved the board of trustees to construct a new building for “Kealing Magnet School.”

Bertha Sadler Means, Austin civil rights icon, held many roles in her life — a community leader, political activist, businesswoman and educator. The Austin school district named Bertha Sadler Means Academy for Young Women Leaders after Means, who picketed and protested alongside her friends and family to end Jim Crow segregation in Austin.Bertha and family lived on Astor Place in the MLK Neighborhood.

William Charles Akins, renown educator who served in the Austin district for more than 50 years. In 1964, when the school district began to integrate its faculty, Akins became the first black teacher at Johnston High School, now Eastside Memorial. He later became the first Dean of boys at Johnston, then an assistant principal at Old Anderson and Lanier high schools. He later became an associate superintendent.

Bill "The Mailman" Martin, an iconic gospel music legend and radio personality who attended St. James Baptist on EM Franklin, rose to national fame as an executive board member of the Gospel Music Workshop of America Association, nominated for a Stellar Gospel Music Award, and was later inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Tiffany Washington, granddaughter of Dorothy Turner, is an Austin-based Organic farmer who runs Dobbin-Kauv Garden Farm (a quarter-acre urban farm off the corner of Manor Road and Rogge Lane in East Austin that takes its name from two of her ancestral families). Tiffany is an heir to the agricultural legacy of such luminaries as George Washington Carver, who trained thousands of Black farmers in regenerative farming methods, and Booker T. Whatley, the founder of community supported agriculture.

Pastor B.W. McClendon, evangelist and spiritual leader, serves as current pastor of the St. James Missionary Baptist Church, Vice President of the St. John District Congress, and Chaplain for APD (Austin Police Department).

Preserving Culture in East Austin - The Resilience Project