Presence of the Past, by Artist Gordon Huether
About the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church on San Pedro Creek and Discovery of the Historic Site
St. James was the first AME Church in San Antonio where Blacks worshiped autonomously and without restriction. Its ministry stressed not only the religious doctrine of the AMEC, but also political participation, education, civil rights, public service, and economic empowerment. Several early members were among the first Black men to register to vote on the 1867 Bexar County voter registration roll, formed the first Black firefighters’ organization, established the first lodge of Free Black Masons, were postal workers, and college founders. The members also became national leaders and clergy of the AME Church and were founders of higher education institutions. The church remains a beacon on San Antonio’s Westside.
This multi-layered urban cultural site, which was uncovered by archaeologists during restoration of the creek in 2020, is a testament to the confluence of ethnic groups who have directly shaped the unique culture of San Antonio. The St James AMEC cornerstone remains a tangible landmark of the thriving Reconstruction Era of the Black community. Careful assessment and community input allows the site to be rehabilitated as a gathering place to connect with this dynamic history.
About the St. James AMEC Culture Crossing Design Enhancements Project
Artist Gordon Huether (Napa, CA) is assembling historic quilt patterns to guide visitors through the Presence of the Past, designed to outline the façade and rise of the first AME church in San Antonio from 1867-1878. This journey is enriched by the AME shield that will lead visitors to an altar holding the names of the original parishioners, commemorating their contributions.
Complementing this rich history, the Community Engagement Pavilion will bring together voices from today’s AME Church and community members across San Antonio. Poet Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson (San Antonio, TX) has collaborated with community members to develop personal quilt patterns inspired by their individual histories, which will appear above the dais. These patterns will create a vibrant tapestry that tells the story of the community’s past and present.
Enveloping the community quilt will be a poignant poem by Sanderson, developed in collaboration with church members through oral history. This poem commemorates and memorializes significant church memories and traditions, capturing the essence of the community’s shared experiences and aspirations. The Presence of the Past and the Community Engagement Pavilion together will create a space that celebrates the diverse cultural heritage of San Antonio and the enduring legacy of the St. James AME Church and its profound impact on the San Antonio community.
The St. James AMEC Culture Crossing Design Enhancements Project is slated to be completed February 2025.
About the Artists
Gordon Huether was born in Rochester, NY in 1959, to German immigrant parents. Having dual citizenship in Germany and the U.S., Huether has spent much time traveling between both countries. Huether learned art composition and appreciation at an early age from his father. In the course of his initial artistic explorations, Huether was resolved to create a lasting impact on the world around him through the creation of large-scale works of art. Projects have included art installations for private corporations, airports, transportation centers, parking garages, hotels, universities, hospitals, recreation centers, civic buildings, libraries, and museums. Huether began to concentrate on the intellectual and emotional message one can deliver through an artistic creation. His work became about communicating a story, not just creating objects of beauty. Until this day, much of his work is inspired by the effects nature has on man-made materials such as the rusty patterns present in deteriorating metal. These materials, translated into works of art, serve as a reminder of the temporal character of man’s achievements and the awe-inspiring forces of nature. Huether’s work has been exhibited at museums and galleries, and collected across the United States, in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York. He has received more than 70 public art commissions and more than 175 private commissions. For more information, please visit gordonhuether.com.
Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson is a San Antonio native and Poet Laureate Emeritus of San Antonio. Her dynamic style’s a fusion of: poetry, hip hop and R&B. She is a teaching artist that enjoys facilitating workshops all over the nation. She has had the distinct honor of writing commissioned poetry and opening up for: Angela Davis, Dr. Cornel West, and Phylicia Rashad. Her awards include: The Arts and Letters Award, 2020. Best Local Poet 2023 and 2021, by the San Antonio Current. In 2021, she received an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship for her legacy work on The Echo Project, which was featured on KLRN. Vocab’s debut book, She Lives In Music, was published on Flower Song Press and all of her albums are available for streaming on all music platforms. In 2022 & 2023, she received Creation Fund grants from National Performance Network for her forthcoming theater production with Lubana Al-Quntar entitled, The Seasoned Woman, a production that’s co-commissioned by The Carver and Art2Action. Vocab has collaborated with Centro San Antonio with the public art pieces featuring her poetry: Elevated Melanin, a tribute to that piece is located in Peacock Alley and more recently Permission to Play, a multidisciplinary mural featuring the art of Barbara Felix located on Commerce Street, in downtown San Antonio. For more information, please visit andreavocabsanderson.com.