13.0 - 2117 W 49th St - Rosedale School — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION Applications for Demolition and Relocation Permits December 3, 2025 DA-2025-142965; GF-2025-146214 Rosedale School 2117 W. 49th Street 13 – 1 Proposal Partially demolish a circa 1939 school building, deconstructing and reconstructing an original portion of the façade nearer to the street and constructing a 5-story apartment building atop the reclaimed façade. Architecture The Rosedale School is a one-story brick school building with Modern stylistic influences. The original portion of the building is a simple flat-roofed brick structure with decorative string courses and expansive multi-light casement windows. Additions, constructed between 1946 and 1949 by two firms (Kuehne, Giesecke, and Brooks and Page, Southerland, and Page), replaced the original entrance with glass block windows and shifted the new entrance eastwards. The new shed- and flat-roofed wings with multi-light casements, glass block ribbon windows, and brick veneer comprised 10 additional classrooms plus a gym and cafeteria/auditorium.1 A 1949 Austin Statesman article advertising the opening of the new addition notes that the “highly modern Rosedale school” is “considered a model of functional design” following Dr. Darrell B. Harmon’s principles for classroom design.2 The extensive use of glass block and retention of maximum natural lighting in four “experimental” classrooms was dictated by the design hypothesis developed by Harmon, Director of Educational Services in the State Health Department: The south side of Rosedale School will have special windows. …The blocks will promote even distribution of light, and the vision strip will allow the children to see out. The remaining four rooms will be equipped with auxiliary diffusers based on an original design by Dr. Harmon which are placed inside the windows. These diffusers obtain maximum benefit from direct sunlight without permitting excessive brightness and threw light upward and across the ceiling from which it is reflected downward on the child’s work. This will be the only school coordinating natural and artificial light…3 Harmon’s work on the “Rosedale model” of classroom illumination was influential to educational design on a national scale during the mid-20th century. In a 2008 article for the Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Amy Ogata describes the impact of the Rosedale model on American school design: The planning, forms, and materials of postwar schools reflected ongoing research into airflow, lighting, and reflectivity…Darell Boyd Harmon, an educator and director of school services at the Texas State Department of Health, also explored how natural light varied in the classroom. …Believing that optimal light would ameliorate fatigue, Harmon conducted experiments with different classroom designs to find the correct brightness ratio between the localized visual task and the entire field of vision. His research, published in the mid-1940s, led to a broad acceptance of new standards for lighting, color, and furniture design in American schools. To equalize brightness, Harmon diffused the light coming in through the windows. Glass block above a “vision strip” of clear glass, included for social and psychological reasons rather than for luminousness, was one suggestion.…His research was widely paraphrased and directly affected the way that classrooms were designed throughout the 1950s.…Douglas Haskell, editor of the Architectural Record, commented that “if a prize were to be given for the most fundamental single contribution [for the year 1946] it would have to go to no architect but to Dr. Darrell [sic] B. Harmon of the Texas State Department of Health.”4 The original portion of the building reflects the lingering austerity of building after the Great Depression, and complements the small format Depression-era homes in the surrounding neighborhood. The original building and the historic-age additions are all low-slung, with large windows and an unassuming presence on the block. This 1 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973), 09 Mar 1948: 18; The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); 25 Feb 1949: 10. 2 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 26 Oct 1949: 23. 3 The Austin Statesman Staff.  The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 21 June 1946: 15. 4 Ogata, Amy F. 2008. "Building for Learning in Postwar American Elementary Schools." Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians (University of California Press) 67 (4): 562-591. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/jsah.2008.67.4.562. 13 – 2 modest design is architecturally friendly to the students and the neighborhood around it, rather than architecturally flashy, despite—or perhaps because of—the infusion of interest and investment from the school board, academia, and the architectural community in the decade after its construction. “The physical makeup of schoolrooms can be planned to help primary graders make the jump from life at home to the school room,” noted director of property services for Austin Schools, Temple B. Mayhall, in 1948. “[The theory behind the planning of Rosedale is that] school should be a home away from home for primary grade youngsters.”5 Research During the Great Depression, Austin’s relatively stable housing market, combined with federal programs designed to offset foreclosure, enabled the rapid development of new subdivisions on what was previously pasture, dairies, and nurseries in the Rosedale area. The neighborhood’s first subdivisions were platted by sisters Jesse, Winnie, and Ellen between 1931 and 1938.6 As the Rosedale neighborhood grew in the 1930s, so too did the need for a new school.7 In 1938, the neighborhood surrounding the school was petitioned for support of its construction, and residents agreed with the stipulation that the land would be used for a school only. The original school had only eight classrooms, an office, and a teacher’s lounge I. Under the direction of Principal Margaret Faubion White, the Parent Teacher Association soon became one of the most active in the city, as the school’s population grew rapidly.8 Margaret Faubion White, who had previously taught at rural schools from 1916 to 1939, Remained at Rosedale until 1966. During her tenure as principal, the school adopted many new and innovative programs for the time, such as scouting, homeroom classes, orientations designed to help children ease into school life, and polio vaccine dispensation. Rosedale Elementary quickly became more than just a place for grammar school students to learn, however: it was the hub of the entire growing neighborhood and a gathering place for all. “’Community Meeting Hall’ could easily be the title of Rosedale School,” remarks a 1948 article in the Austin Statesman. “Because there is no other centrally located place in the Rosedale community where citizens can gather in large groups, the school has taken on the New England town hall role...”9 Faubion told the Statesman in another 1948 feature: “Because of its uniqueness, the open house sign, which is always up, attracts many visitors…whether there is a class from the university or a Life magazine photographer there to see the experimental features in use. …Perhaps one explanation of the interest of the Rosedale patrons is that their school truly serves as the center of their community.”10 The uniqueness to which Faubion referred was the result of Rosedale’s use as an experimental school for design principles pioneered by Dr. Darrell Boyd Harmon, Director of Educational Services in the State Health Department. Harmon pioneered the development of natural lighting strategies in schools after World War Two, and his design strategies greatly influenced school building in the United States (see Architecture, above). According to historian and longtime Rosedale resident Karen Sikes Collins: In the mid-1940s, Rosedale was in the spotlight for [Harmon’s] $18,000 experiment…Information gained was used in the “ultra-modern” addition completed in 1949. At that time 10 new classrooms, an auditorium- cafeteria combination, and a gym were added to the southeast side and Rosedale finally accepted grades one through six. That year the PTA had nearly 500 members.11 The Rosedale School’s 1946-1949 remodel is the foremost Austin example of Harmon’s groundbreaking principles of school design.12 Harmon’s work at the Rosedale School was honored in a 1948 issue of Life magazine and in a 1950 edition of educational periodical The Nation’s Schools.13 His work at Rosedale was replicated around the country. As the heart of the Rosedale community, the building served more than elementary school students. 5 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 12 Mar 1948: 8. 6 Collins, Karen Sikes. “Rosedale Rambles,” 1994 I. https://rosedaleaustin.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Rosedale-Ramble-1994.pdf. 7 https://rosedaleaustin.org/about-rosedale/the-neighborhood/ 8 Collins, 1994. 9 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 19 Mar 1948: 22. 10 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 03 Sep 1947: 14; The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); 30 Apr 1948: 17. 11 Collins, 1994. 12 Harmon, Darrell B. and Philip Will, Jr. 1946. "Eyes and Ears in School." Edited by Kenneth Kingsley Stowell. The Architectural Record (F.W. Dodge Corporation) 99 (2): 66-91. 13 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973), 09 Apr 1948: 22; The Austin Statesman (1921-1973), 21 Feb 1950: 18. 13 – 3 Archival records show that it was used extensively for adult education; public health initiatives like nursing classes, Red Cross training, and polio vaccinations; the temporary homes of multiple religious congregations, including Methodists and Unitarian Universalists, as churches sought funding and space for dedicated buildings; and gathering spaces for community clubs, political groups, and charitable organizations. Private homes in the area were, during the 1930s and ‘40s, often too small to host large groups, and when events required an indoor venue that nearby Ramsey Park could not accommodate, Rosedale Elementary was often the only choice for the neighborhood. Throughout the mid-20th century, the school remained a nexus for education for those of all ages and abilities. Toward the end of the period of significance, the building is also associated with pioneer educator and historian Algerene M. Akins Craig, the first Black librarian in Austin and the first Black member of the Travis County Historical Commission. During the era of bussing as Austin struggled to desegregate its public schools, Mrs. Craig was transferred from Blackshear Elementary—Where she had previously taught for three decades and where she had established the school’s first library—to Rosedale, where she served as librarian until her retirement in 1975.14 Design Standards The City of Austin’s Historic Design Standards (March 2021) are based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and are used to evaluate projects at potential historic landmarks. The following standards apply to the proposed project: Institutional buildings 1. General standards 1.1 Ensure that the building’s historic character is preserved through careful repair and maintenance of historic materials. The proposal preserves the oldest part of the building’s historic-age façade through deconstructing and reconstructing it nearer to the street. The remainder of the building will be demolished to make room for new apartments. 1.2 Additions to an institutional building may not be appropriate. 1.3 Locate additions to be subordinate to the historic building, keeping in mind that all sides of an institutional building may be significant. While the proposed project demolishes most of the historic-age building, it is extremely unlikely that the entire building will be preserved after the building’s sale by AISD. The current project retains the school’s façade and appears to take some design cues from it for the remainder of the building. Summary The project meets some, but not all, of the applicable standards. The applicant has implemented Architectural Review Committee feedback in retaining the oldest and most visible portion of the building, rather than demolishing it entirely. Though staff has found that the building is eligible for designation, the proposed project represents the result of compromise among AISD, the new property owners, City staff, and the Architectural Review Committee; thus, staff has identified it as the most likely strategy for preserving any of the historic building. Property Evaluation Designation Criteria—Historic Landmark 1) The building is more than 50 years old. 2) The building appears to retain high integrity at the historic-age part of the building. Historic-age additions, designed by Giesecke, Kuehne, and Brooks and Page, Southerland, and Page, that have achieved significance in their own right, were constructed between 1946 and 1949.15 3) Properties must meet two criteria for landmark designation (LDC §25-2-352). Staff has evaluated the property and determined that it meets three criteria for landmark designation: a. Architecture. The building is a good example of a pre-World War II Modern educational building. It is associated with an era of enhanced design for elementary schools to benefit students’ abilities to learn in a 14 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973), 10 June 1971: B6; “Algerene M. Craig: Pioneer Educator and Historian in Texas.” Texas State Historical Association, 2025. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/craig-algerene-moniceita-akins. 15 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 10 Sep 1948: 22. 13 – 4 school environment.16 The original portion of the building reflects Depression-era austerity and complements the small contemporary homes in the surrounding neighborhood. The original building and the historic-age additions are all low-slung, with large windows and an unassuming presence on the block. Its modest design is architecturally friendly to the students and the neighborhood around it. b. Historical association. The property is associated with the development patterns of central Austin at midcentury and with expansion of Austin ISD during the interwar period. The Rosedale School’s 1946-1948 remodel is also the foremost Austin example of the groundbreaking principles of school design introduced by Darrell B. Harmon, director of school services at the Texas State Department of Health.17 Harmon’s work at the Rosedale School was replicated around the country.18 It is also associated with educator and principal Margaret Faubion White, who served as president of the Austin Teachers Association and charter member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Teachers’ Fraternity. Toward the end of the period of significance, the building is associated with pioneer educator and historian Algerene M. Akins Craig, the first Black librarian in Austin and the first Black member of the Travis County Historical Commission. During the era of bussing as Austin struggled to desegregate its public schools, Mrs. Craig was transferred from Blackshear Elementary to Rosedale, where she served as librarian until her retirement in 1975.19 c. Archaeology. The property was not evaluated for its potential to yield significant data concerning the human history or prehistory of the region. d. Community value. The property possesses a unique location, physical characteristic, or significant feature that contributes to the character, image, or cultural identity of the Rosedale neighborhood. The property served not only as a place for elementary education but for many years was Rosedale’s primary gathering place for all community functions: public health initiatives, religious congregations, political gatherings, civic organizations, neighborhood celebrations.20 e. Landscape feature. The property is not a significant natural or designed landscape with artistic, aesthetic, cultural, or historical value to the city. Committee Feedback Retain the front corner or portion of the building. Reconstruction is acceptable if demolition is required but retention strongly preferable. Provide a site plan with setbacks and drawings showing scale, as the scale of the existing school is currently in keeping with the neighborhood. Staff Recommendation Concur with Architectural Review Committee feedback. Encourage further rehabilitation and adaptive reuse to the greatest extent possible, but release the proposed permit for partial demolition, deconstruction, and reconstruction of the building’s façade closer to the street upon completion of: 1) a City of Austin documentation package, including HABS Level One measured drawings of the portions of the building constructed within the 50-year period of significance, for archiving at the Austin History Center; and 2) a plan for deconstruction and reconstruction describing how the façade move will be completed per National Park Service guidance21. The applicant has implemented Architectural Review Committee feedback in retaining the oldest and most visible portion of the building, rather than demolishing it entirely. The proposed project represents the result of compromise among AISD, the new property owners, City staff, and the Architectural Review Committee; thus, staff has identified it as the most likely strategy for preserving any of the historic building. While the Commission should always encourage rehabilitation and adaptive reuse to the greatest extent possible, given the challenges associated with the property’s sale and redevelopment, City staff acknowledges that the proposed project is likely the only outcome that retains any of the building’s historic form, materials, or fenestration. 16 Ogata, 2008. 17 Harmon, 1946. 18 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); 03 Sep 1947: 14. 19 Texas State Historical Association, 2025. 20 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); 19 Mar 1948: 22; The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); 30 Apr 1948: 17. 21 Nps.gov. “The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties: Reconstruction as a Treatment and Standards for Reconstruction (U.S. National Park Service),” 2023. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/treatment-standards-reconstruction.htm. Location Map 13 – 5 Property Information Photos 13 – 6 Google Maps, 2025. Original portion of building in yellow; 1940s additions in blue. Aerial photos, 1940 and 1958 13 – 7 Aerial photos, 1965 and 1977 13 – 8 13 – 9 Google Street View, 2022-2024 Austin ISD. “Rosedale School Identified as Surplus after District Evaluation (En Español),” November 14, 2024. https://www.austinisd.org/announcements/2024/11/14/rosedale-school-identified-surplus-after-district-evaluation-en- espanol. 13 – 10 Flagler, Jack. Community Impact, June 19, 2019. https://communityimpact.com/austin/city- county/2019/06/19/rezoning-process-for-future-rosedale-school-property-rankles-some-allandale-residents-city-council- members/. Jimenez, Elisabeth. Community Impact, October 14, 2024. https://communityimpact.com/austin/north-central- austin/education/2024/10/14/austin-isd-to-consider-monetization-of-former-school/. 13 – 11 Heath, Keri. Austin American-Statesman, February 19, 2024. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/education/2024/02/19/austin-isd-active-shooter-training-facility-travis-county- sheriffs-office-rosedale-elementary-school/72543785007/ . Historical Information The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 07 May 1939: A7. 13 – 12 The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 25 Jan 1942: A9. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 11 Jan 1943: 10. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 01 Nov 1945: 15. 13 – 13 Harmon, Darrell B. and Philip Will, Jr. 1946. "Eyes and Ears in School." Edited by Kenneth Kingsley Stowell. The Architectural Record (F.W. Dodge Corporation) 99 (2): 66-91. \The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 10 Feb 1946: 9. 13 – 14 The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 01 Sep 1946: 15. 13 – 15 VIRGINIA FORBES The Austin Statesman Staff.  The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 21 June 1946: 15. 13 – 16 The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 01 Dec 1946: 7. 13 – 17 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 03 Dec 1946: 12. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 04 Dec 1946: 13 13 – 18 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 03 Sep 1947: 14. 13 – 19 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 09 Apr 1948: 22. 13 – 20 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 19 Mar 1948: 22. 13 – 21 13 – 22 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 30 Apr 1948: 17. 13 – 23 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 12 Mar 1948: 8. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 09 Mar 1948: 18. 13 – 24 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 02 June 1948: 9. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 10 Sep 1948: 22. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 19 Oct 1948: 6\ 13 – 25 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 25 Feb 1949: 10. 13 – 26 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 23 Sep 1949: 10. 13 – 27 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 26 Sep 1949: 9 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 26 Oct 1949: 23. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 28 Oct 1949: 20. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 18 Nov 1949: 10. 13 – 28 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 21 Feb 1950: 18. 13 – 29 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 07 June 1951: A17. The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 21 Oct 1951: C2. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 10 Sep 1952: 7. 13 – 30 The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 24 May 1953: B1. 13 – 31 CRESENS, JOHNNIE.  The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 29 Sep 1953: 17. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 09 Oct 1953: 2. 13 – 32 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 13 Oct 1955: A6 Brewer, Anita.  The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 21 Oct 1955: 1. 13 – 33 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 27 Feb 1959: 21 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 03 Apr 1959: 18. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 17 Apr 1959: 13. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 26 Sep 1959: 2. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 05 Feb 1960: 13. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 26 Feb 1960: 17. 13 – 34 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 15 Feb 1963: 25. The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 17 Feb 1963: A1. The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 21 Apr 1963: A1. 13 – 35 The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 24 Apr 1966: E8. 13 – 36 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 29 Apr 1966: 10. The Austin American (1914-1973); Austin, Tex.. 15 Jan 1967: D7. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 18 Jan 1967: A14. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 02 Feb 1968: 20. The Austin American - Statesman (1973-1980), Evening ed.; Austin, Tex.. 31 Oct 1977: D21. 13 – 37 BOB BANTA Staff Writer.  The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 07 Dec 1967: A1. 13 – 38 The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 10 June 1971: B6. The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 11 June 1971: 4. 13 – 39 Conn, Jerry.  The Austin Statesman (1921-1973); Austin, Tex.. 08 Oct 1972: SMA4. 13 – 40 LYNNE FLOCKE Staff Writer.  The Austin American - Statesman (1973-1980), Evening ed.; Austin, Tex.. 15 July 1975: 1. LOUISE JENSEN Neighbor Correspondent.  The Austin American - Statesman (1973-1980), Evening ed.; Austin, Tex.. 25 Jan 1979: H1. 13 – 41 The Austin American - Statesman (1973-1980), Evening ed.; Austin, Tex.. 15 Mar 1979: H5 JIM SHAHIN American-Statesman Staff.  The Austin American - Statesman (1973-1980), Evening ed.; Austin, Tex.. 30 Oct 1980: K1. 13 – 42 Collins, Karen Sikes. “Rosedale Rambles,” 1993. https://rosedaleaustin.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Rosedale-Ramble- 1994.pdf. Collins, Karen Sikes. “Rosedale Rambles,” 1999. https://rosedaleaustin.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Rosedale-Ramble- 1999.pdf. 13 – 43 Craig, Algerene M. Akins (1909–1996).Algerene M. Craig, educator, historian, and the first Black elementary school librarian in Texas and the Southwest, was born Algerene Moniceita Akins to William and Lula (Smith) Akins on April 28, 1909, in Austin, Texas. Her father, a florist and gardener, and her mother, a laundress, divorced in 1918. She attended Anderson High School in Austin, then graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Prairie View College (now Prairie View A&M University) in 1931. She later earned an elementary school certification in library science from the University of Southern California and the University of Texas at Austin as well as a master of science degree from Prairie View College. She began her teaching career at St. Paul Junior College in Mexia, Texas. By 1932 she worked as a teacher in the segregated Austin public school system. In 1934 Algerene Akins organized the first library at the Gregory Town School (later E. L. Blackshear Elementary School) in Austin at the request of school principal Friendly Rudolph Rice. She started with 150 books donated by Larry White, a Black employee at the state Capitol, and start-up funds of $25 from the Parent Teachers Association and $25 from the Austin School Board. She worked as a teacher, librarian, and assistant principal at Blackshear Elementary School until Austin Independent School District’s cross-over plan for desegregation in 1970 after which she was a librarian at Rosedale Elementary School. She retired after forty-three years of educational service in Austin. In 1971 the Blackshear PTA donated a portrait of her to the school library. On June 12, 1940, Akins married Isaac Arnold Craig, Jr., at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Austin. Her husband worked at Austin’s famed Night Hawk Restaurant, under Harry Akins, for forty-two years. Hired as a dishwasher in 1932, he 13 – 44 worked as a cook in 1940, rose to chef by 1949, kitchen manager by 1953, and a manager by 1957. By the time he retired in February 1974 he was a stockholder and a member of the board of directors for the Night Hawk Corporation. Perhaps Algerene Craig’s most noted contribution was documenting and preserving Austin history, which is reflected in her work for the Travis County Historical Commission (TCHC) and the W. H. Passon Historical Society. The first Black woman to serve on the TCHC, she helped secure historical markers for a number of Black churches in East Austin, including Ebenezer Baptist Church, First Baptist (Colored) Church, Mt. Olive Baptist Church, and Wesley United Methodist Church. She researched and donated the historical marker for the Thompson Home, purchased by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., at 1171 San Bernard Street, in Austin. With her historical research expertise, markers were also obtained for the Original L. C. Anderson High School (second school location at 1607 Pennsylvania Ave.) and Kealing Junior High School (now Kealing Middle School) at the same address. She also authored an article on Maud A. Fuller, noted Black Baptist church leader and educator, for the Texas State Historical Association’s The New Handbook of Texas (1996). To recognize her work, she was awarded the Black Heritage Outstanding Citizen Award in 1988. Craig’s community memberships and affiliations included the Alpha Kappa Zeta Chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, in which she was a charter member of the graduate chapter, founded in February 18, 1940, at the Blackshear Elementary School campus. She was a charter member and first president of the Zeta Phi Beta Chi Chapter at Samuel Huston College (now Huston-Tillotson University). She was also a life member of the Austin Section of the National Council of Negro Women, the Austin Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Education Association, and the American Association of University Women. She was honored as the recipient of the Personalities of the South Award in 1969 and the Austin Living Legend Award in 1994. In 1985 she and Attorney General Jim Mattox served as honorary chairs of the Capitol’s Martin Luther King, Jr., Day celebration committee. She and her husband were staunch members of Ebenezer Baptist Church, where she served as Sunday school teacher, librarian, choir member, and worked for the Tape Ministry that distributed recordings of the previous Sunday church serviced to sick and elderly congregants unable to attend. In 1957 she organized the church’s clothing bank which opened to all East Austin families, regardless of ethnicity or race. Her charitable activities extended beyond the United States to projects in Africa and Japan. She also did volunteer work with various nursing homes as well as organizations such as the Sunshine Benevolent Club, the Christmas Bureau, and the Capital City Lioness Club, which was the female counterpart to the Capital City Lions Club (first African American Lions group in the United States). Algerene M. Akins Craig died on February 28, 1996, at St. David's Hospital in Austin, Texas. She was buried at the Assumption Cemetery near her husband, who died in 1989, in Austin. The Isaac and Algerene Craig Memorial Scholarship Fund was established at Ebenezer Baptist Church soon after her death. In November 2018 she was recognized posthumously with the 2018 Golden Apple Award by the Alpha Kappa Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority for her contributions in education. Mrs. Estella Akins, the wife of her cousin, educator William Charles Akins, received the award on her behalf. Austin’s George Washington Carver Museum featured her in an exhibit in May 2019. Her papers have been preserved as a subseries of the Heritage Marketing series in the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau Records housed at the Austin History Center in Austin. Handbook of Texas Online Texas. “Algerene M. Craig: Pioneer Educator and Historian in Texas.” Texas State Historical Association, 2025. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/craig-algerene-moniceita-akins. 13 – 45 https://austinuu.org/wp2013/about-us/unitarian-universalism/uus-in-austin/ Permits 13 – 46