John Henry "Jack" Yates (July 11, 1828 – December 22, 1897) was an African-American slave and later minister who became influential in the African-American community in Houston, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

.

Yates was born in Gloucester County, Virginia

Gloucester County, Virginia

Gloucester County is within the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area in the USA. Formed in 1651 in the Virginia Colony, the county was named for Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester, third son of King Charles I of Great Britain. Located in the Middle Peninsula region, it...

 on July 11, 1828. Yates became the pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church is a historic church at 313 Robin Street in Downtown Houston, Texas.It was built in 1875 and added to the National Register in 1976.Jack Yates once served as the pastor of this church.-References:...

, Houston's first African-American Baptist church, after it opened in 1866. Yates established Houston Academy, a school for African-American children. He died in December 22, 1897. Yates High School

Yates High School

Jack Yates Senior High School is a secondary school located at 3703 Sampson in the Third Ward in Houston, Texas with a zip code of 77004. Yates High School handles grades nine through twelve and is part of the Houston Independent School District ....

 in Houston was named after Yates.

The house Yates occupied was originally in the Fourth Ward. It was later moved to Sam Houston Park

Sam Houston Park

Sam Houston Park is a park located in downtown Houston, Texas, and is dedicated to the buildings and culture of Houston's historic past. The park, which was the first to be established in the city, was developed on land purchased by former Mayor Sam Brashier in 1900.-History:Mayor Brashear...

 in Downtown Houston

Downtown Houston

Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...

, and it was opened to the public on Wednesday December 11, 1996.

According to the church, the original pews, made by hand, are still used.