A Legacy of Care
The History of the Ella Austin Orphan Home
The Ella Austin Orphan Home stands as a testament to the power of one woman's vision and one community's determination to care for its most vulnerable.
Named for Ella Austin — a pioneering figure in San Antonio's African American community — the home was established to provide shelter, care, education, and hope for orphaned and at-risk Black children during an era when such care was rarely extended to them by the institutions of the day.
For generations, the Ella Austin Orphan Home served as a sanctuary — a place where children who had lost everything found community, stability, and a future.
It represents the very best of what San Antonio's African American community has always been: resilient, compassionate, innovative, and unwilling to leave its most vulnerable members behind.
The home carries with it the spirit of generations of children who were given a second chance within its walls — children who went on to become teachers, leaders, parents, and pillars of this community.
That legacy does not end here. It continues.
1890
Ella and Edward Austin open their home to children in need
1897
The home officially becomes an orphanage
1902
Ella Austin passes; the Progressive Women's Club carries her work forward
1968
The orphanage closes after generations of service
Today
Blueprint Sports Foundation becomes the new steward of this home