As an institution, the Carver traces its history to 1929 when the present Carver Theater was built, but the first Community House on the property was built in 1918 to serve African-American soldiers from Fort Sam Houston Army Base and the African- American citizens of San Antonio. The inscription above the main side doors still reads – Colored Branch of the San Antonio Library and Auditorium. In 1938, the building was renamed for George Washington Carver.

From its earliest beginnings until the late fifties, the Carver served as the focal point for activities within the African-American community. The auditorium served as a social, recreational, and cultural center and was the location for debutante balls, educational forums, banquets, graduations, political meetings and performing arts presentations. Nationally acclaimed artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Paul Robeson, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Charlie “Byrd” Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton and a host of other illustrious performers were presented during this time.

With implementation of desegregation rulings by the federal courts, changing social patterns within the African American community and a new library further east, the facility became less of a focus for community activities, fell into disrepair, and was closed. Proposals were made, but no consensus could be reached and plans were made to demolish the deteriorating facility in 1973. Overwhelming opposition to the demolition by the community, including women lying down in front of bulldozers, forced the city to reconsider its plans, ushering in the new era in which the Carver Community Cultural Center was born. Founding Director, Jo Long, developed the Carver into what it is today, what the San Antonio Express-News called “a national model of a multicultural center” and led the Carver through two major renovations.

2000 began a several year period of economic downturn, keeping the theatre closed as it awaited a much needed renovation. Four years later marked the completion of the Little Carver Civic Center and the Carver Theatre renovation, and along with the hiring of a new Executive Director, William Lewis III, the Carver is now poised to reestablish itself as a preeminent multicultural center.

This year, in addition to the Common Ground exhibit, the Carver Center will host 16 major performances, eight visual art exhibitions, eight free school-day matinee performances for students, a residency series of lecture demonstrations and master classes for students and the community, and an after-school initiative providing art instruction in six public middle schools. The Carver School for Visual and Performing Arts will offer classes in dance, music, jazz studies, visual art, and theater arts for youth and adults. The much used theater complex is once again rented by the community as a venue for educational forums, meetings, graduations, pageants, and performing arts presentations.

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CHAIRMAN
Johnny W. Thomas Esq.

VICE-CHAIRMAN-EXTERNAL
Ollie S. Bryant

VICE-CHAIRMAN-INTERNAL
Dr. Rao Pemmaraju

TREASURER
Robert S. Brown

SECRETARY
Antoinette C. Jackson

PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Betty Green

Allen Castro, Phd
James Dockery
Maria S. Greene
L. Brooks Hill, Phd
Yvonne Hilliard
Dr. Yvonne Holloway-Cunningham
Raymond Homes
Jo McCall
Byron Miller
Felix Padron
Cheryl Palmer
Gloria Wilson Ray
Henry Ross
Michael Salerno
Sam Scott
Floyd Wilson
Rose E. Wright-Martinez
Steve York

ADVISERS
Rev. Claude W. Black, Jr.
Hon. Ruth Jones-McClendon
Navarra Williams