The Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity is helping to build the future of the historic Joppa neighborhood. All week long, they will be in Joppa repairing homes, repainting and providing upgrades in celebration of their 40 years of service in the Dallas area.
However, Joppa’s story goes back long before the new homes were built. It starts with the William Brown Miller plantation, now located in Old City Park.
It’s special to Donald Payton because his ancestors, who were enslaved, built the home.
“They built a house in 1855…That was my grandmother’s grandfather,” said Payton, an Historian and Joppa resident. “Mr. Miller brought the people, the first generation of slaves, to Dallas in 1847.”
When slavery was abolished in 1865, Freedmen settled in what they named Joppa after the Biblical city.
“They were allowed to buy houses, buy land, simply couldn’t buy land in prime areas,” said Payton.
Over the years, Payton collected their stories. He’s told the history of the ferry and railroad.
“This was the main landing area for crossing the river, and it was called Miller’s Switch. And then the railroad came in in July, 17, 1872. And that added to the growth of the community because as men work on the railroad, they serve in communities along the railroad,” said Payton.
He and residents such as Shalondria Galimore also talked about the first Black school, the Melissa Pierce School. It was named after Melissa Pierce whose parents were enslaved.
“She wanted to have a school for the children here in Joppa to be able to go to instead of being bussed all over Dallas,” said Galimore, South Central Civic League/Joppa Neighborhood Association President.
Galimore has been working to turn the building into a community center. She is the fourth of six generations living in Joppa.
“A lot of times people say that Joppa forgotten about. I just say that we were kind of hidden and tucked away, and we have to make our voices heard,” said Galimore.
Residents have been doing just that. They were successful in making Joppa an historic site with the Texas Historical Commission.
“As I got older, as I came back and I learned the history and, learned what it really means and what a Freedman’s Town is and how I was able to be a part of that is really a blessing,” said Galimore. “I’m able to pass the generations on with something so significant as a historic Freedman’s Town.”
“It’s very special because you can you can feel the ancestors spirit,” said Payton.
As the neighborhood grows with projects like building homes with Habitat for Humanity, that spirit doesn’t go forgotten.
“They presently saving the old to present it to the new,” said Payton. “We’re lucky to still have Freedman’s Towns.”
WFAA will be joining Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity throughout the week. There will be a block party celebration on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.