My students and I loved the tour. Donovan was an excellent guide, keeping my students engaged and active, participating with questions, and engaging in great storytelling. Some of my students commented: "I am glad we came because I didn't know so much history about East Austin, and I am from here."
Another comment read, " Thank you for bringing us here, we enjoyed the places we visited, especially the George Washington Carver museum."
We thoroughly recommend the tour.
Paula Trejos
Excellent history tour of Austin’s Black historic district! We learned about the music, the food, the housing, churches, and historic black Austin figures and politicians. Highly recommend this tour for visiting tourists and long time residents alike.
Kevin Collins
Javier is a beast at what he does! He is a wealth of knowledge and very professional. I can't say enough great things about his tours.
Jerry Cway
I attended the Roll Colorado Roll tour January 31, 2025 and had a wonderful time! Everyone was kind, the communication and logistics were very informative and they were quick to communicate possible adjustments to our route due to rough waters. As a first time kayaker, I felt comfortable and the tour operators made sure I was okay while straggling in the back. The information and the passion for the Black History of Austin that was delivered was excellent and we were welcomed to answer questions the entire time. I can't wait to attend another tour with Black Austin Tours!
Janayn Evans
Jasmine
My family and I had an unforgettable time on the Roll Colorado Roll kayak tour. The experience was the perfect combination of fitness, fun, and educational fulfillment. I’m an Austinite (a rarity!) and learned so much about my city’s history!Javier is a natural storyteller and educator. I appreciated learning so much about US history, Austin history, Black history and Mexican history. I have a lot more research to do!I can’t wait to take part in his other tours!
We had a great experience on the Downtown Black History Walk. The tour was informative and was an easy, accessible walking route. Our guide, Mason, was knowledgeable and friendly and did a great job telling the stories of important people and places in Austin's history. I look forward to taking the East Austin tour in the future to continue learning about Austin's Black History!
Jenna Livingston
This tour was one of the most interesting things I have ever done. I learned so much about the history of East Austin, as well as how the new "gentrification" of the area has affected the people who live there. A highlight was seeing the beautiful murals and mosaics highlighted in the tour. Javier was a surprise and a delight. Given what I had read about his education and work history, I expected a much more stiff and formal person, Javier is delightfully informal and funny.
Katherine McKinney
Javier is over the top incredible. His knowledge about the area, love for the community, kindness for humans, and passion for justice is unmatched. We decided to go on this tour as a work-team learning/engagement activity and it might be my favorite one yet. It was an extra moving experience, as the tour coincided with Juneteenth.