Henry Foster was a father, barber, and valued community member who invested in his family's future at the center of Black life in East Austin.
Born in Virginia in 1835, Henry Foster lived through enslavement and war before establishing a new life in freedom. He married Augustine Landry in Louisiana in 1864. The couple joined the westward migration of Black families after the Civil War to set up new lives in Texas. They first settled in Duval County, a newly created county between Corpus Christi and Laredo. Eventually, they relocated to the growing Black community in East Austin in the 1880s. They had five children.
Foster was a barber. In his barbershop, he created a space for Black men to gather, share news, and build connections in a segregated society. He made enough money to build a good life and was a respected member of his community. He mentored other young men to do the same, including his future son-in-law, Oscar Shelby, who worked in Foster’s barbershop.
Henry Foster passed away in 1904 and was buried in Bethany Cemetery. After his death, his family bought a home in East Austin on Rosewood Avenue. Over time, family members moved away, but they continued to build on the foundation Foster had created. Putting a skilled trade to good use, Foster and his descendants created opportunities in spite of the difficulties they faced in late 19th century Texas.
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