Historic Calhoun House Designated City of Austin Landmark, Honoring Black Educators’ Legacy
AUSTIN, TX (December 12, 2025) – Preservation Austin is thrilled to announce that Austin City Council voted to designate the Calhoun House as a City of Austin Landmark at their December 11 meeting. The residence, located at 2401 Givens Avenue, was once the home of pioneering Black educators and civic leaders, Thelma and T.C. Calhoun. The home is located in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District, Austin’s only historic district that exclusively honors Black heritage. Preservation Austin is honored to partner with homeowner Patricia Calhoun, daughter of Thelma and T.C., to prepare and bring forward this nomination.
“The history preserved in places like the Calhoun House is essential for future generations of Black Austinites to understand where they come from, the sacrifices made on their behalf, and the legacy of strength they inherit. This is not just history to preserve—it’s a foundation for identity, pride, and continued community building,” said Preservation Austin President, Miriam Conner.
Designating underrepresented heritage sites is one of Preservation Austin’s key advocacy priorities. Per 2021 data collected by Preservation Austin, only 47 of Austin’s 629 local landmarks honored Austin’s Black heritage. In working with property owners to designate underrepresented heritage sites, the non-profit aims to increase the presence of African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, the LGBTQIA community, women, the disabled, and the working class in our city’s inventory of historic resources and better tell the full story of Austin’s diverse history.
Patricia Calhoun (center) with Preservation Austin and community advocates at City Hall, 2025 (Photo: Preservation Austin)
Calhoun House, 2401 Givens Ave, 2025 (Photo: Preservation Austin)
About the Calhoun House
The Calhoun House was built in 1959 by Theodore “T.C.” Calhoun and Thelma Dotson Calhoun in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross neighborhood, one of Austin’s first suburban developments built by and for Black Austinites during segregation. The Calhouns were educators and civic leaders in Austin’s Black community during the mid-twentieth century, when “separate but equal” policies hindered Black prosperity. Mr. Calhoun was the longtime principal of Kealing Middle School, Austin’s only middle school for Black students. Mrs. Calhoun was a Jeanes supervisor for segregated rural schools and later a reading specialist. Both were active leaders of Ebenezer Third Baptist Church and held significant civic roles, including with the Austin Negro Chamber of Commerce and the Teacher’s State Association of Texas.
T.C. and Thelma Calhoun created an enduring legacy and helped build community for Black Austinites, establishing a tradition of excellence in education and service that marks an inspiring chapter in Austin’s history. Their leadership lives on in their daughter Pat, who sees the Calhoun House as her personal legacy. Among her many accomplishments, Pat was a leader in the grassroots effort to designate Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross as a historic district and preserve this remarkable community’s story.
Read the complete nomination, with additional historic context and images, here.
T.C. and Thelma at the renaming of Pennsylvania Avenue, in front of Kealing Middle School, after Mr. Calhoun (Courtesy of Pat Calhoun)
Calhoun House c. 1960 (Courtesy of Pat Calhoun)