Jack Johnson (Library of Congress)
Jack Johnson and his wife, 1921 (Library of Congress)
Jack Johnson at wheel of his 90 horsepower Thomas Flyer, 1910 (Library of Congress)
The Cultural Center was formerly the 1885 Central High School and the 1905 Rosenberg Library, both first in the state created exclusively for African Americans.
Exhibits at the Cultural Center.
Galveston native Jack Johnson, a former world boxing champion (1908–1915), is honored at his namesake park with an impressive life-sized statue. Known as the “Galveston Giant,” Johnson was the first African American heavyweight boxing champ. His athletic achievements and bold defiance of early-1900s cultural norms made him a controversial figure, and he has only recently received significant recognition.
The park’s adjacent Central High School is considered the first African American high school in Texas, established in 1885. The current two-story brick building was built in 1924 and is attached to the former 1905 Rosenberg Colored Library, which was developed by the Rosenberg Library Association for the local African American community.
Jack Johnson Park at Old Central Cultural Center
- Hours: Park open daily, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- 2601 Avenue M, Galveston, TX
- Visit Website
