2024
AFRICAN AMERICAN H E R I TA G E G U I D E
PUBLISHED BY THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER
ME T RO MAG I C MAJOR CITIES SHOWCASE BLACK CULTURE STOPS FOR GROUPS
Travelers can discover Black cultural landmarks, such as the legendary Apollo Theater, on tours through Harlem.
Black art in Detroit COURTE SY HARLEM ONE STOP
2
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
COURTE SY P URE MI CHI GAN
Culture; and streets like Strivers Row, where composers including Eubie Blake, Bill “Bojangle” Robinson and W.C. Handy lived. Harlem One Stop offers custom group activities, including trips to enriching locations like the Jazz Museum of Harlem, ultra-local neighborhood walking tours and even gospel tours. exploreharlemnyc.com BY CL AIR E HANNUM
DETROIT
TRAVELERS DON’T HAVE TO LOOK FAR TO FIND BLACK CULTURE. In big cities from coast to coast, Black history, music, food and heritage are integral parts of the local landscape. Groups that visit these destinations can discover places where African Americans have made their mark on local and national culture. Check out the following cities to learn how your travelers can discover rich Black experiences in each one.
NEW YORK CITY
In the early 20th century, thousands of Black Americans relocated from the South to the North in the Great Migration. As many as 175,000 of them landed in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood. By the end of World War I, the Harlem Renaissance was underway, launching a rush of creative expression, writing, poetry, performance, painting, philosophy and more. Much of the work was defined by thoughtful examination of the Black American experience that still resonates today. Legendary writers, thinkers, artists and performers like W.E.B. Du Bois, Walter Frances White, Marcus Garvey, Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker, Zora Neale Hurston and more flocked to Harlem as a source of inspiration. Musicians such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday brought their work to life in the neighborhood. Today, Harlem is still proudly centered on Black heritage. “Although Harlem is going through a gentrification transition today, the Black culture remains dominant,” said Yuien Chin, executive director of Harlem One Stop. “There is nothing like Black joy, especially during the summer when the streets come alive with street festivals, music concerts, block parties and parades not easily found elsewhere.” Chin suggests visitors retrace the steps of the creative geniuses of Harlem’s past. “The neighborhood is like a living museum with literary and social references,” she said. “My favorite and best way to explore Harlem is through a neighborhood walking tour that will provide the social and cultural history and context for present Harlem.” Explore the legendary Apollo Theater; the home of poet Langston Hughes; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black
In the days of the Underground Railroad, Detroit was considered one of the last stops on the road to freedom. Detroit’s First Congregational Church played an especially important role, hiding formerly enslaved people who’d escaped until they could safely cross the Detroit River to Canada. Groups can learn more about the story on an Underground Railroad Walking Tour, which serves as a guide through some of Detroit’s important stops on the road to freedom. In the decades that followed, Detroit grew into a thriving hub of Black culture and heritage. It served as the birthplace of Motown, with Barry Gordy producing hits from the likes of Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, Aretha Franklin and more from Hitsville USA in the heart of the city. Today, that studio is now the Motown Museum, which welcomes visitors. Groups visiting Detroit should also consider a trip to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The museum offers a journey through history, including a stop at a replica slave ship and a series of stories of African American success and creativity. In the nearby city of Dearborn, groups will enjoy a visit to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, which houses the bus on which Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white passenger and sparked a new chapter in the Civil Rights Movement. visitdetroit.com
ATLANTA
“Atlanta is the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement,” said Logan Doctson, public relations specialist for Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau. King, former U.S. Representative John Lewis and other key Civil Rights leaders grew the movement nationwide with Georgia as their inspiration and backdrop. Unexpected Atlanta’s King Historic District Tour takes travelers on an in-depth exploration through the places that inspired King and his peers. Another tour operator, Civil Rights Tours Atlanta, which was created by a former aide to King, offers bus tours of famous locations in the Civil Rights Movement. Groups should also consider a visit to the city’s National Center for Civil and Human Rights, which follows the American Civil Rights Movement from its beginnings to the present day. “The center has three main exhibits: Civil Rights, human rights and the Martin Luther King Jr. Collection from Morehouse College,” said Doctson. Today, neighborhoods like Southwest Atlanta, Atlanta’s Eastside, Cascade Heights and Sweet Auburn are home to thriving Black-owned businesses, restaurants and shops that are powering the city forward. discoveratlanta.com
G R O U P T R AV E L L E A D E R . C O M
3
Detroit’s Motown Museum
A family reunion in Baltimore
A bust of Frederick Douglass
COURTESY VI SI T B ALTI MORE
COURT ESY P URE M IC HIGAN
BALTIMORE
Baltimore is the birthplace of timeless Black creative masterpieces, including jazz hits, memorable poems and unforgettable pieces of art. It also served as home to Black leaders like Frederick Douglas, Thurgood Marshall and Elijah Cummings. Baltimore’s music scene has been integral to the fabric of modern jazz, R&B and hip-hop, as well as an early incubator of house music. “Each year, Baltimore hosts the AFRAM Festival,” said Al Hutchinson, president and CEO of Visit Baltimore. “It’s one of the largest African American festivals on the East Coast.” The event boasts more than 100,000 attendees annually and features entertainment, eats and shopping. For groups that want to delve deeper into the city’s history, the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park Museum offers an interactive journey through the history of Douglass and Isaac Myers, the founder of the first Black-owned shipyard. Other great sites to visit include the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, the Maryland Center for History and Culture, and the Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum. The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum features wax representations of legendary Black figures. Visitors can dive deeper with the city’s recently created Black-Owned Business Directory, which covers local restaurants, shops and attractions that play a role in Baltimore’s Black culture. baltimore.org
4
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
COURTE SY ATL ANTA CVB
ST. LOUIS
St. Louis served as the backdrop for the famous trial in which Dred and Harriet Scott, who were enslaved, sued for their freedom in 1847. It was also the site of many determined escapes from slavery, including one led by the legendary Mary Meachum, a free Black St. Louisan. The city also played host to the beginnings of an electrifying blues scene, with musicians from across the U.S. gathering to play their tunes. During the Great Migration, many top-notch blues musicians flocked to St. Louis and crafted a distinct St. Louis sound that’s unlike anywhere else in the country. Music-loving groups will enjoy the National Blues Museum, which dives into the history of blues and its impact on all other forms of American music. The Scott Joplin House State Historic Site is another great avenue for music fans. The house explores Joplin’s finest hits and the history of his work. Catherine Neville, vice president of communications for Explore St. Louis, pointed to the many historic sites and museums that dot the St. Louis landscape. Many connect St. Louis’ past with its vibrant present, with Black-owned restaurants, museums and shops shaping the city’s current culture. One important site to visit includes the Field House Museum, which explores the court case of Dred and Harriet Scott, and the Old Courthouse, where the case was first heard before heading to the Supreme Court. Another site, Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing, honors Meachum’s journey with nine enslaved people on an attempted escape. Four escaped and five were caught; the story remains Missouri’s most well-documented escape. The site of the crossing is host to a reenactment every year.
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta
The Griot Museum of Black History, in St. Louis’ historic Old North, highlights the depth and significance of Black history and culture throughout the country. The museum aims to share and interpret Black stories. The museum’s artifacts and wax figures examine of Black influence, and exhibits include a special focus on important leaders in St. Louis history. Wrap up your trip with a visit to the St. Louis Walk of Fame on the city’s famed Delmar Loop, which honors St. Louis legends like Tina Turner, Josephine Baker, Chuck Berry and more. explorestlouis.com
NEW ORLEANS
Black heritage is interwoven into the fabric of New Orleans’ music scene, food and cultural traditions. Many New Orleanians who arrived in the city while enslaved continued to speak their native languages from Africa, and many
The experience is unforgettable . Because the lessons should never be forgotten . There’s no better place to learn about the struggle for black equality while walking in the footsteps of the Movement’s heroes. It’s all here, from the world-class Mississippi Civil Rights Museum to the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden and Emmett Till Interpretive Center. Plan your journey today at VisitMississippi.org/CivilRights.
Mississippi Civil Rights Museum | Jackson, Mississippi
New Orleans African American Museum
COURT ESY M O D IV. OF TOURISM
The National Blues Museum in St. Louis
COURTE SY EXP LORE LOUI SI ANA
who were born in Louisiana spoke French Creole. Others still spoke English, creating a melting pot of different languages and cultural rituals that remain today. Many African traditions stayed in place through the years and are still practiced today. Congo Square is a great example of this — this space where Treme meets the French Quarter is one of the most important sites in the history of jazz music. In centuries past, enslaved people and laborers alike gathered to play music, trade and dance. It led to the beginnings of many crucial aspects of American music as we know it today. Jazz, funk, hip-hop, gospel, brass, rock ’n’ roll and more all owe much to the early gathering and jam sessions that happened in New Orleans. Groups can stop by Congo Square to see music history up close. Travelers who want to get to know more of New Orleans’ past can also visit the New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM). Located in Treme, the oldest-surviving Black neighborhood in the U.S., the museum celebrates the contributions of Black residents to local and national culture. This year also saw the opening of the brand new Louisiana Civil Rights Museum. Another important site to visit is St. Augustine Church, believed to be the oldest Black Catholic parish in the country. The church was established in 1841 and long included pews for enslaved parishioners. It is one of the first spots noted on Louisiana’s African American Heritage Trail. neworleans.com
“There’s nothing like this in this country.” — The New York Times
6
The Legacy Museum, located on a site in Montgomery,
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is a sacred
Alabama, where Black people were forced to labor in
space for truth-telling and reflection about racial terror
bondage, uses interactive media, sculpture, videography,
in America and its legacy. Set on a six-acre site a short
and exhibits to draw dynamic connections across
walk from the Legacy Museum, the memorial uses
generations of Americans impacted by slavery, lynching,
sculpture, art, and design to contextualize racial terror
segregation, and mass incarceration.
lynchings and the legacy of racial injustice.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
Learn more at eji.org
At the heart of America’s inland waterways, you’ll find a sophisticated rivertown that inspires. Paducah, Kentucky, is a confluence of cultural heritage and creativity where art is a way of life. A designated UNESCO Creative City, Paducah is gaining acclaim as a destination for those who crave rich, authentic cultural experiences!
Signature EXPERIENCES
Immerse yourself in history, art and culture through unique experiences, self-guided tours and historical trails. Plan your experience at Paducah.travel
1-800-PADUCAH
PIONEERING SPIRITS THESE BLACK ICONS LEFT HOMES WORTH VISITING
The Paul Lawrence Dunbar House in Dayton preserves the home of a luminary Black intellectual.
A historic photo at the Louis Armstrong House Museum
COU RTESY NATI ONAL AFRO-AME RI CAN MUSE UM
8
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
COURT ESY LOUIS ARM ST RON G HOUSE M USEUM
BY KATI HY E R
ated his reel-to-reel tapes,” Bain said of the prodigious recordings Armstrong made. The museum currently houses 60,000 hours of his archives. All tours are ticketed, guided and limited to groups of 10. Across the street from the Historic Home, the museum has erected the state-of-the-art Armstrong Center, a modest yet thought-provoking jewel in the middle of this historic residential neighborhood. Larger groups can split up, and while 10 or fewer tour the home, the rest can experience the exhibits, concerts and artifacts in the Armstrong Center. louisarmstronghouse.org
TINA TURNER MUSEUM
Brownsville, Tennessee THE BEST WAY TO GET TO KNOW A HISTORICAL FIGURE IS TO STEP INSIDE THEIR WORLD. A person’s home is their most intimate space. From the furnishings to the fixtures, homes are curated by their inhabitants. And around the country, travelers can get to know some of America’s most extraordinary Black citizens by exploring their homes, schoolhouses and other significant settings during their formative years. Consider visiting some of these notable sites for revealing looks at the lives of famous Black figures.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG HOUSE MUSEUM
Queens, New York
The timeless melody carried by trumpet in “La Vie en Rose” can transport even the most musically disinclined to a brighter world. Such is a good starting point for unpacking the legacy of musician, vocalist and barrier breaker Louis Armstrong. “His home is important because of the influence he had across the world,” said Regina Bain, executive director for the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, New York. “Not just on music, but on culture. He was America’s first pop music icon and had hit songs in five decades. He was the first Black American to have featured billing in a major Hollywood film — the list goes on and on.” During his life, as Satchmo’s popularity increased, opportunities for other artists of color also increased. As the first Black artist to secure the contracted right to stay in the venues he played at in the South, he paved the way for better compensation and respect for other Black artists. Exploring the home introduces visitors to the larger story of Black artists in the 20th century. The house was purchased by Louis’ wife, Lucille, in the 1940s, a time when Queens was one of the few places Black families could live — the exception, not the rule. “Around the corner, Dizzy Gillespie, James Brown, all these Black leaders lived in Queens,” Bain said. “That’s where they could afford and were allowed to be. So many of the homes of our icons have disappeared. No one has lived in this house since the Armstrongs and it is still here. That is significant.” While every inch of the home is interesting, Bain has a special fondness for Satchmo’s den. “The den is the place he called his own and where he cre-
The Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll had a larger-than-life career, but understanding that she came from a rural town with a tiny, one-room schoolhouse makes her achievements all the more impressive. Tina Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock, attended Flagg Grove Elementary School in the 1940s. When the school was at risk of being demolished for an irrigation project decades later, proud local Brownsville residents and passionate Tina Turner fans all over the world banded together to save it. Today the Flagg Grove School houses the Tina Turner Museum and makes up one-third of the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center. “You see the glitz and the glamor from her career; you see costumes, records, awards, photographs and memorabilia,” said Sonia Clark, director for the center and museum. “But you turn the corner and you see the old desk, the chalkboard, the cubbies on the wall and the teacher’s desk.” The Tina Turner Museum puts the importance of education on display in its effort to preserve the legacy of African American oneroom schoolhouses. “And because it was part of Tina Turner’s legacy, we’re showcasing her career and the phenomenal impact she had on the music industry,” Clark added. “We’re showing her humble background and telling people whatever their dream is, it is achievable.” The schoolhouse, built in the aftermath of the Civil War, illustrates the critical component of education in Tina Turner’s story and in the broader African American story. “Even though slavery had been abolished, things had not gotten much better,” Clark said. “Tina, in an interview, talks about the importance of education. An African American took the initiative to plot their own course in a time when it wasn’t the popular thing to do, and it was definitely dangerous to do, and that was important.” westtnheritage.com
FREDERICK DOUGLASS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
Washington, D.C.
A key part of telling America’s stories is having the right places to share them. One of the most climactic parts of the plot in that story is the abolition of slavery, and no one more embodies the fight for abolition than public figure, orator and prolific writer Frederick Douglass. The right place to tell his story? His home, Cedar Hill, now a National Park Service Historic Site in Washington, D.C.
G R O U P T R AV E L L E A D E R . C O M
9
COURT ESY WEST T N D ELTA HERITAG E C EN T ER
Tina Turner Museum
COURTESY NPS
George Washington Carver National Monument in Joplin
Douglass saw evil and dedicated his life to destroying it, becoming known the world over as a champion for equality. The last 17 years of his life, he lived in the home in D.C.’s Anacostia neighborhood with his wife, Helen Pitts Douglass. After his death, a fascinating story unfolded: His wife led the funding of the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historic Association to preserve the home, but she passed away soon after, and the association was unable to complete its goal. A vast network of visionary Black leaders including Ida B. Wells and the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs led by Mary B. Talbert rallied together to fundraise for the home, purchasing it, paying off its mortgage and making needed updates. The two organizations owned the home until 1962, when the federal government took over Cedar Hill to protect and restore it through the National Park Service. Today, groups can access the home through guided tours that take place Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Specific times are set for groups larger than 10. Guests begin their tours at the visitor center then walk to the top of a large hill, where the home overlooks the street. Tour participants will explore the first and second floors of the home, which Douglass expanded significantly in his time there, as well as artifacts and furnishings owned by Douglass and the family. nps.gov/frdo
10
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR HOME
Dayton, Ohio
“I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” is the inimitable memoir by Maya Angelou. What some may not know is the writer drew her title from a line in one of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s writings. That’s just a tiny piece of evidence of the impression Dunbar left on American society. In Dayton, Ohio, the Paul Laurence Dunbar Home is one of America’s oldest state memorials dedicated to an African American and makes an excellent opportunity for groups to explore his story. “The Paul Laurence Dunbar Home is a place we can continue to tell the story of what life was like for the first generation of Black people born free from slavery,” said Ryan Qualls, site manager for the Dunbar House. “He lived for a short period, and in that time he wrote a ton. He was hailed during his time and after for his ability to capture the experience and to share what life was like.” The home is a living exhibit, focusing on the day-to-day lives of the Dunbars. Nearby, the visitors center expands on that experience. “Dunbar was in a culture that was trying to find meaning and understanding and trying to develop equal rights,” Qualls said. “He championed home ownership and the ability of Black Americans to get loans. He wrote in the New York Times challenging the nation to rethink about July 4th and think about liberty in the face of the lynchings in the South at that time.” Qualls recommends planning for about two hours to roam the property and watch a short film about Dunbar’s life. nps.gov/places/dunbar-house.htm
Underground Railroad Underground Railroad History Tours & Lunch History Tours & Lunch THE ONLY ARCHIVES THE ONLY ARCHIVES DESIGNATION IN KY! DESIGNATION IN KY!
• Fun Custom Itineraries • Fun Custom Itineraries • 13 Farms to Tour • 13 Farms to Tour • Historic Cemetery Tours • Historic Cemetery Tours • Bourbon Tours & Hands-on • Bourbon Tours & Hands-on Cocktail Classes Cocktail Classes • Botanical Garden Tours • Botanical Garden Tours • Trains on Main Downtown • Trains on Main Downtown Shopping & Dining Shopping & Dining
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER NATIONAL MONUMENT
Joplin, Missouri
“When you think about when he was born and when he died and everything in between, George Washington Carver lived in one of the worst times in our country,” said Diane Eilenstein, a ranger at the George Washington Carver National Monument in Joplin, Missouri. The monument comprises Carver’s 1864 birth site and childhood home, as well as a visitor center and other sites with exhibits and activities. “We do both self-guided and ranger-led tours,” Eilenstein said. “We take them on guided tours of the trail, which is right at a mile. As they go, they learn specifically about his birth and those circumstances and the first 10 to 12 years of his life, and why things were like they were. He was set free when the war ended, and we talk about his life’s accomplishments. As we go along the trail we expand the story.” Not long after Carver’s birth, outlaw gangs abducted him and his mother. Baby George was ransomed for a horse and returned to the white family who had purchased his mother. They ended up raising him and sending him to school. “Everybody takes away what they need and can handle from the home,” Eilenstein said. “We have an amazing film called ‘Struggle and Triumph,’ and we find our adult groups really enjoy and get meaning from it. Our museum has a lot of artifacts: his paintings, his writings and interactive exhibits that are more kid friendly. To me, to go stand in the place where it physically happened makes it real.” Rangers try to zoom in on specific aspects of Carver’s life to deliver what groups are interested in. nps.gov/gwca
NATIONAL
NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM NETWORK TO FREEDOM
All Things Kentucky. Only in Oldham. All Things Kentucky. Only in Oldham.
Kim Hydes, Executive Director Kim Hydes, Executive Director (800) 813-9953 (800) 813-9953 Director@TourOldham.com Director@TourOldham.com
OldhamKYGroups.com OldhamKYGroups.com 20 MINS FROM LOUISVILLE 20 MINS FROM LOUISVILLE G RMINS O U P T R A FROM V E L L E A D ETHE R . C O MARK 11 70 70 MINS FROM THE ARK
IM M E RS I V E M OM E NT S TREAT YOUR GROUP TO A GREAT BLACK EXPERIENCE
Visitors learn about Tulsa’s Black Wall Street in immersive experiences at the Greenwood Rising History Center.
A statue in Chicago’s Bronzeville Arts District
COURTE SY CREE SE WORKS
12
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
COURTE SY CHOOSE CHI CAG O
BILL PICKETT INVITATIONAL RODEO
Multiple Locations
BY CL AIR E HANNUM
IMMERSIVE TOURS AND EVENTS OFFER AN ENRICHING UNDERSTANDING OF BLACK CULTURE, BOTH HISTORICAL AND MODERN. These immersive experiences across the U.S. provide a firsthand look into the vibrance and diversity of Black communities and culture today. Here are a few experiences groups will love — and ideas about how to make the most of each one.
GULLAH TOURS
Charleston, South Carolina
Members of South Carolina’s Gullah community are descendants of West Africans who were enslaved on relatively isolated plantations along the state’s coast. Because of this isolation, the culture retained many African traditions that other enslaved communities did not and developed its own unique language, music, food and art. The Gullah language was spoken by the first Black residents of South Carolina low country and is still spoken today. Gullah Tours offers a window into the important landmarks and cultural touchpoints of the Gullah Community in Charleston. Alphonso Brown, author and owner of Gullah Tours, is a Gullah speaker who introduces groups from around the world to the culture. “The most common question is, ‘where are the Gullah people?’” Brown said. “And I say, ‘all around you.’ If we go to the marketplace, we may hear Gullah people talking, but as soon as they detect your presence there, they speak English. Lots of people don’t understand that Gullah is not bad English; it’s a different language.” Rather than “bad English,” Gullah is its own distinct and widely studied language. “[The culture] will never be forgotten because so many people are writing about it now and inquiring about it,” Brown said. That includes researchers, documentarians, and of course, travelers. Groups can take two-hour tours with step-on guides on their own motorcoaches or aboard the 25-seat Gullah Tours bus. Guests will see important Gullah historic sites around the Charleston area, including locations that inspired the musical “Porgy and Bess.” gullahtours.com
The historic American West was far more diverse than it is depicted in the movies. In reality, Black cowboys were a central part of the West’s formation and history. The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo was created in 1984 to honor that fact and to encourage future Black cowboys to carry on the tradition. The idea for the rodeo was born when founder Lu Vason took an interest in the Denver rodeo scene in the late 1970s and didn’t see a single Black cowboy in the ring. He set out to change that with the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, named after the iconic early 1900s Black cowboy who invented a key rodeo technique called “bulldogging.” The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo has been making magic ever since. Many participants have been with the rodeo for generations, introducing their children and grandchildren to the community and the craft. After Lu Vason’s passing, his wife, Valeria Howard Cunningham, took up the helm to run the rodeo. She is the only Black female owner and promoter of an African American touring rodeo association circuit in the U.S. “The rodeo showcases the contributions of Black cowboys and cowgirls to the history of the American West,” Cunningham said, noting that the rodeo helps counter the common misbelief that all cowboys were white. Groups can watch rodeo pros strut their stuff in several cities across the country. The rodeo has many events featuring some of the highest skill levels in the world, but Cunningham particularly recommends the Peewee Barrel Racing Event, which “steals the hearts of crowds.” The event features kids as young as 3 years old riding horses and showing the world what they can do. Guests may learn a new thing or two about history. And at the same time, they’ll get to see some of the top cowgirls and cowboys in the country show off the very best of their craft. billpickettrodeo.com
BLACK WALL STREET TOUR
Tulsa, Oklahoma
In the years after World War I, the city of Tulsa became nationally known for its Greenwood District, a wildly successful Black-owned business district that was dubbed Black Wall Street. But in 1921, most of the area was decimated in the Tulsa Race Massacre. Local white rioters burned the district down, destroying 35 city blocks and injuring more than 800 people. Initially, 36 people were believed to have died in the massacre — today, historians believe it could be as many as 300. Many families lost everything, and Tulsa’s thriving Black business community lost its beating heart. Survivors have continued to fight in court for justice to this day. Hughes Van Ellis, one of three remaining survivors, was still expressing his hope for justice when he passed away in October. The Real Black Wall Street tour takes groups on a journey through the streets of the Greenwood district and through notable locations of the 1921 massacre. The tour begins and ends at the Greenwood Cultural Center, which features enriching exhibits on the history of Greenwood. Groups of 25 or more also have the option to choose a custom tour itinerary.
G R O U P T R AV E L L E A D E R . C O M
13
Bill Picket Invitational Rodeo
History is more than a timeline—it is a thread woven through all of our lives. Pick up that thread at the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, MS. Explore and experience the moments, movements, and milestones that continue to shape our world. Plan your visit today at twomississippimuseums.com.
14
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
COURT ESY D EELIG HT F UL ROUX SC HOOL OF COOK IN G
Deelightful Roux School of Cooking
COURTESY B I LL P I CKET I NVI TATI ONAL ROD EO
Crucially, the Real Black Wall Street Tour is owned and operated by a descendant of the massacre. In 2003, owner Chief Egunwale Fagbenro Amusan saw his own grandfather fight for justice in the court system. He was denied due to a statute of limitations. Between the time Amusan spends educating and leading tours, he continues to advocate for the justice and respect that the Greenwood District deserves. Despite his tireless work, Amusan isn’t lacking in energy. “Hope is not a subject for me,” Amusan said of his work. “Hope leaves too much space for doubt. I am determined. The only thing that I consider draining is the energy it takes praying that the [Tulsa Race Massacre] survivors do not pass without justice. When a survivor passes, we feel the weakening of the shoulders we stand on.” Travelers come away from this tour with a whole new understanding of Tulsa history — and U.S. racial history at large — as well as a view of the resilience of Greenwood today. “It is a privilege to honor the dignity of those who built the most self-sustaining Black district in the U.S.,” said Amusan. “It is an honor to be a product of that greatness. Emotionally, it is a passion founded on pride.” realblackwallstreettour.com
DEELIGHTFUL ROUX SCHOOL OF COOKING
New Orleans
Louisiana Cajun cuisine, which historically combined West African, Spanish and French flavors, dates back to the 17th century. Louisiana creole cuisine, another treasured Louisiana food tradition, combines influences of Caribbean, French, Spanish, African and American tastes. Both are important hallmarks in Black Louisiana culture. And of course, both are delicious! At the Delightful Roux School of Cooking in New Orleans, students can learn the art of both these two cuisines directly from an accomplished chef. This popular cooking school is the first African American-owned cooking school in New Orleans in more than eight decades. “Teaching has always been a passion for me,” said owner and instructor chef Dee Lavigne. With easy insider tips, students learn quickly and gain confidence in a flash. Lavigne treasures teaching students about the culinary traditions she was raised on and often works with private groups. By teaching these traditional recipes, “sharing stories, and the historical context behind certain dishes,” Lavigne said she and her colleagues enable students to appreciate the profound influence Black culture has had on the culinary scene for hundreds of years. chefdeelavigne.com
African American Heritage & Cultural Experiences in Newport News, VA
BRONZEVILLE ART DISTRICT TOUR
Chicago
Bronzeville is a Black neighborhood and creative hub in Chicago that’s often called the “Black Metropolis.” Its influence on Black creativity and civil rights dates back to the early 20th century, when musical, artistic and intellectual visionaries called it home. Today, the Bronzeville Art District is home to several galleries of innovative art and affordable live/work spaces for Chicago creatives. Groups can take step-on driving tours or walking tours of the area. Important stops include the Blanc Gallery, Faie Afrikan Art Gallery, Gallery Guichard, the Bronzeville Artist Lofts, the South Side Community Art Center and the Harold Washington Cultural Center. Don’t forget to fuel up after exploring at a local restaurant. “Across the intersection from the cultural center is a great local café called Peach’s Restaurant,” said Lynn Osmond, president and CEO of Choose Chicago. bronzevilleartdistrict.com
African Americans played a vital role in creating what is now Newport News, Virginia. Honor the rich heritage of African Americans in our vibrant waterfront city and celebrate the culture of today through arts, history, cuisine, and more!
newport-news.org 1-888-493-7386
G R O U P T R AV E L L E A D E R . C O M
15
Get a Taste of Bourbon City’s Black Heritage. GoToLouisville.com/Travel-Professionals