Dating back to the late 19th century, this district in Dallas was settled by free slaves following the Civil War. Adopted in 1993 as the city's 12th district, it is one of a few remaining Freedmen's Towns in the country still intact.
A plaque welcoming guests to the area calls it "an important African American enclave within the historically white community of Oak Cliff" and calls out famous entertainers who called the area home, including blues great T-bone Walker and the Olympic gold medalist decathlete Rafer Johnson.
The construction of a highway in the 1950s and integration in the 1960s led to the demolition of about 175 original structures in the community. But the real threat began in 2010, when Dallas changed its ordinances, allowing the city to demolish houses smaller than 3,000 square feet whether they are listed on the Historic Landmarks list or not. Since then, 70 of the 260 homes in the Tenth Street Historic District have been destroyed, leaving its future in jeopardy.