The first known African American to enter the area now known as Austin was Mahala Murchison. The Portal to Texas History, maintained by the University of North Texas Libraries, has a short biography of Mahala Murchison in its Texas History Collection. It reads, “Mahala Murchison, a ten year old mulatto girl, was the first Negro to appear in Austin. Four months after Austin was founded, Alexander Murchison arrived here to make his home on July 16, 1839. He was accompanied by his wife and maid, Mahala.” The Portal to Texas History also includes an undated photograph of Mahala Murchison.
The first known African person in the area now known as Texas was Estavanico. He came to North America as part of a Spanish expedition. Enslaved to a man named Andres Dorantes de Carranza, Estavanico survived a shipwreck off the coast of Galveston Island in 1528 and eventually traveled further west into what is now the state of Texas. It is unknown whether Estavanico (who is sometimes referred to as Esteban, Stephen the Moor, and Estabanico, among other names) traveled in the area now known as Austin, but he remains extremely important as the first known African person to enter what is now considered the state of Texas. The Bullock Texas State History Museum’s African American Campfire Stories provide more information about African and African-descended people in the state of Texas.