Barton Springs Heroines
Azie Taylor Morton: In the summer of 1961, a young Black woman swam in Barton Springs pool in open defiance of the period’s segregationist policies that made the pool “whites only.” Azie Morton’s courageous act was one of several “swim-ins” that occurred during the local civil rights movement, which led to the eventual removal of race restrictions at Barton Springs and other city pools.
In 2018, the Austin City Council approved the renaming of a road that leads to one of the entrances of Zilker Park and Barton Springs—removing the name of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and changing the name to Azie Morton Road. The new street name honors Morton, who was appointed U.S. Treasurer in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. She was and continues to be the only African-American to fill that office. In Austin, Morton’s contributions included her work at Huston-Tillotson College, the Texas AFL-CIO and her service on the Austin Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.
Joan Means Khabele, played a key role in the protests to desegregate Barton Springs Pool, which was officially desegregated in 1962.
As an Austin High School senior, Joan Khabele became the first Black person to jump into the pool in protest after being denied entry to her senior picnic in 1960. This act of civil disobedience led to a series of weekly “swim-ins” by Black Austinites throughout the summer of 1960 until segregation ended.
Her strength and courage also helped integrate Austin high schools. And following that, Joan went on to a lifetime of achievements as an educator and leader in nonprofit work in the United States and Africa.