Though San Antonio features a smaller percentage of African Americans than fellow major Texas cities Dallas, Houston and Austin, the Alamo City does boast its share of black leaders. Here are some of the more prominent African Americans in the San Antonio community, with thoughts from some of those listed.
 

TOMMY CALVERT JR.

OCCUPATION: Entrepreneur/political lobbyist
THE RUNDOWN: Currently the president of Calvert International Consulting, a political consulting and public affairs firm, Calvert has previously served as a deputy councilman for Mario Salas, an aide to State Representative Ruth Jones McClendon and as Interim Director of Special Projects for Congressman Ciro Rodriguez. A native of San Antonio, Calvert spent two years working with the American Anti-Slavery Group, which fights slavery worldwide. He received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Tufts University.
IN HIS OWN WORDS: “We (the African American community) are not all that divided,” Calvert said. “We just don't come together as often as we ought to ..... The real issue is how we elect people and how we raise people to work together in a public/private partnership to put the resources necessary to uplift our future and our community.”

TIM DUNCAN

OCCUPATION: San Antonio Spurs forward/center
THE RUNDOWN: The tallest person on this list (6-foot-11) also happens to be the most famous. Duncan, arguably the best power forward ever to play in the NBA, has led the Spurs to four NBA championships in the past decade, during which he was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player three times. Duncan, 31, is also a two-time league MVP, nine-time All Star and 10-time member of the NBA's All Defensive Team. Duncan, who received a psychology degree from Wake Forest University, also helped found the Tim Duncan Foundation. The organization, founded in 2001, helps serve “the areas of health awareness and research, education and youth sports and recreation” in San Antonio, Winston-Salem, N.C., and Duncan's native U.S. Virgin Islands.

ART HALL

OCCUPATION: Politician/attorney/ investment banker
THE RUNDOWN: Currently a candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner, Hall, 36, served as a San Antonio city councilman from 2003 to 2007. In 1999, the San Antonio Business Journal named him one of the Alamo City's “Top 40 Under 40 Rising Stars.” Hall, who received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard and an MBA from Texas Tech, is the youngest person ever to represent District 8 on San Antonio's city council.

MIKE JINKS

OCCUPATION: Head football coach, Steele High School
THE RUNDOWN: Despite the program playing in only its second year of varsity competition, Jinks, 35, guided the Knights to the Class 4A Division II regional semifinals this season, where they fell to Beeville. A former quarterback for Judson during the program's glory days of the 1980s, Jinks played for and coached under legendary Judson Rockets coach D.W. Rutledge. Now in his second stop as a head coach — he previously coached at Burbank for one season — Jinks was a finalist this season for San Antonio Express-News High School Football Coach of the Year.
IN HIS OWN WORDS: “To be honest, I never worried about it (getting a head coaching job), because I always felt that the people that came before paved the road,” Jinks said. “If today's society is willing to work and do things right, there are no limits.”

DR. CAREY H. LATIMORE IV

OCCUPATION: Assistant professor of African American history, Trinity University
THE RUNDOWN: Latimore, 32, came to Trinity in 2004 after receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond and his master's and doctorate from Emory University. A native of Virginia, Latimore is the faculty adviser of Trinity's Black Student Union, co-faculty adviser of Omega Tau and Phi Alpha Theta and co-chair of Trinity's African American Studies program. He is also a member of the San Antonio African American Community History Project and a mentor/adviser at Sam Houston High School.
IN HIS OWN WORDS: “For a white student growing up, they hear about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Smith and the kings and queens of England — they hear a lot about the people that looked like them,” Latimore said. “With blacks ..... they hear about three people during the month of February (Black History Month), and the rest of the 11 months, there's another history. It's hard, if you're looking for role models and you have three people that have been given to you.”

SHEILA MCNEIL

OCCUPATION: San Antonio city councilwoman
THE RUNDOWN: McNeil, a San Antonio native, is serving her second term on city council. In addition to those duties, McNeil is serving or has served on a number of committees, including the Martin Luther King Commission and Military Transformation Task Force. McNeil, with a bachelor's degree in social work and a master's in public administration, is also a member of the NAACP and National Forum of Black Public Administrators.
IN HER OWN WORDS: “There are still some freedoms we don't have,” McNeil told the Express-News during a 2005 Juneteenth ceremony. “We still have some freedoms to fight for.”

DR. MARCUS NELSON

OCCUPATION: Deputy Superintendent for Instruction and Student Services, Judson ISD
THE RUNDOWN: A former high school principal and elementary and high school teacher, Nelson has received degrees from Abilene Christian (bachelor's) and Texas A&M-Commerce (two master's and a doctorate). According to his Web site (marcusnelson.org), Nelson has given more than 200 public speeches since 2004 and has previously worked with the Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Austin Area and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas.

MARGARET RICHARDSON

OCCUPATION: Chairwoman, Students Committed to Change (UTSA)/UTSA graduate student
THE RUNDOWN: A native San Antonian and graduate of Sam Houston High School, Richardson is working on attaining her master's degree from UTSA in political science. She is also the chairwoman of Students Committed to Change, which according to Richardson, “serves as a bridge of communication between the university and community.” The organization also works with young people in the community and attempts to educate them on issues such as teen pregnancy and AIDS.
IN HER OWN WORDS: “In San Antonio, there is a huge minority population of blacks and Hispanics, and it seems like there could be some type of coalition,” Richardson said. “We're all kind of in the same boat. There are a lot of issues in the Hispanic community that are the same types as those in the black community, and it seems like there could be more dialogue.”

SOPHIA YOUNG

OCCUPATION: Forward, San Antonio Silver Stars
THE RUNDOWN: Young became a force in the WNBA during her second season with the Silver Stars, averaging 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in helping the team reach the Western Conference finals for the first time. Young, 24, upped her performance during the Silver Stars' 2007 playoff run, averaging a staggering 20.2 points and nine rebounds per game. The fourth overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft, Young was named to the Big 12 Conference 10th Anniversary Team and graduated from Baylor with her teaching credential.
 

Clint Hale | 210SA