This story was originally publised by NOWCastSA on Feb. 26, 2010.
To commemorate Black History Month, and to mark a year since his passing, watch exclusive video of interviews with Rev. Claude Black, produced by the Source of Light Center at University Presbyterian Church in March 2004.
Black was a civil rights activist and minister of the Mt. Zion First Baptist Church in San Antonio for almost 50 years. He served on the San Antonio City Council from 1973 to 1978, and became the city’s first black Mayor Pro Tem.
Black worked closely with other civil rights advocates including A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., James L. Farmer Jr. and Ella Baker.
Black, who died March 13, 2009, was closely involved with San Antonio's undeserved neighborhoods, such as the East Side, and earned a great respect from the community.
In this video, Black talks about civil rights, the separation of races, global community and shares stories from his decades as a civil rights activist in San Antonio.
Black begins the interview with an introspective look:
"One of the most difficult struggles I've had is making my life meaningful. It's very easy to settle for nothing and end up living a life that really makes very little difference. I I was able to invest my talents in a way that brought about some kind of change""Remember me as a person who found meaning in his life by giving it away, by giving his life away...by giving it to others; being concerned about others."