Going On Faith Winter 2023

ON T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R FAITH-BASED TRAVEL PLANNERS VOL. 26 - NO. 4

W IN TER 20 23

LO U I S I A N A’S CAJUN CULTURE KENTUCKY COLLECTIONS

BECOMING A BETTER TRAVEL PLANNER

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Bluegrass Classics

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A Cajun Destination

Discover Kentucky’s signature museums on this trip through the state.

Lafayette is the epicenter of Louisiana’s most distinctive culture.

DEPARTMENTS

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African American Heritage Guide

Thriving cities, meaningful history and immersive tours showcase America’s Black culture.

Columns 6 EDITOR’S NOTES: Honing your travel planning skills

6 Mac T. Lacy Founder and Publisher

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Donia Simmons Creative Director

Charles A. Presley Partner

Ashley Ricks Graphic Design/Circulation

Brian Jewell VP & Executive Editor

Rachel Crick Writer/Project Coordinator

Herb Sparrow Senior Writer

Rena Baer Copy Editor

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ON THE COVER: Travelers explore the bayous around Lafayette, Louisiana, on an airboat tour.

Photo courtesy Lafayette Travel.

Kyle Anderson Director of Sales and Marketing Bryce Wilson Advertising Account Manager Sarah Sechrist Controller and Office Manager

859.253.0455

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kyle@grouptravelleader.com

Going On Faith is published quarterly by THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc., 301 East High Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified group leaders who plan travel for churches, synagogues and religious organizations. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants, and other travelrelated companies, may subscribe to Going On Faith by sending a check for $39 for one year to: Going On Faith, Circulation Department, 301 East High Street, Lexington, KY 40507. Phone: (859) 253-0455 or (859) 253-0503. Copyright THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in a ny manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

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Discover 11 charming waterfront communities and explore 85 miles of beaches while being awed by the wonders of nature at every turn. Plan your next conference at crystalcoastnc.org/groups or call 888-891-0021.

EDITOR’S

NOTES BRIAN JEWELL

HONING YOUR TRAVEL PLANNING SKILLS

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o you have the essential skills to succeed as a travel planner in 2024?

Group travel is as challenging as it is rewarding. Fortunately, you don’t have to figure out its finer points alone. On our podcast Gather and Go, I share insight from industry experts to help you plan, promote and lead better trips.

Here are some helpful tourism skills you can sharpen by listening to recent episodes of the podcast.

BOOKING A MOTORCOACH Transportation is a critical part of any group trip, and choosing the right motorcoach provider is one of your most important jobs as a travel planner. There are a lot of things to consider when booking transportation, from selecting the right size vehicle to ensuring driver safety. Get advice from insider Luke Busskohl of Arrow Stage Lines in our episode “How to Book a Motorcoach.”

TAKING A CRUISE Cruising is one of America’s most popular methods of travel, and people in your church may have expressed interest in taking cruises together. There are a ton of options in the cruise market though, and knowing where to start arranging a group cruise can be intimidating. That’s why we dedicated an entire episode to the topic. Check out “Taking Groups On Cruises” with Anne Davis of Cruises and Tours Worldwide to learn all about it.

PURCHASING TRAVEL INSURANCE Travel is full of uncertainty, and mishaps that interrupt or delay a trip can cost you a lot of money. Travel insurance helps guard against those risks. But like other insurance products, travel insurance can be complex, multifaceted and difficult to understand — especially if you’re interested in offering insurance for group trips. To help you make sense of it all, we interviewed Kelly Sahner of TripMate for our episode “Understanding Travel Insurance.”

GIVING A TRAVEL PRESENTATION You can plan and organize the most amazing trips, but unless you understand how to promote them, your church travel program will fall short of its potential. Whether you have oneon-one conversations or hold travel presentations for a larger group, knowing how to talk about travel in compelling ways will help make you more confident and successful. That’s why we did a whole episode called “Travel Presentations That Get Results” with public speaking expert Eva Daniel.

In addition to these great interviews, each episode features travel news, tips and hacks from veteran road warriors, and my hot takes on issues impacting tourism every day. You can listen by searching for Gather and Go on any podcast app, scanning the QR code at left or visiting grouptravelleader.com/podcast.

BRIAN JEWELL | EDITOR | brianj@grouptravelleader.com

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going on faith | winter 2023

CUSTOM CONTENT

Its magnetic personality puts Chandler on the map

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

HORSEBACK RIDING AT THE KOLI EQUESTRIAN FACILITY

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ook at a map, and you might assume that Chandler, Arizona, is simply a suburb, living in the shadow of Phoenix, its neighbor to the northwest.

Not true. Chandler, now the state’s fourth-largest city, population of more than 286,000, has its own personality and a magnetic pull that has drawn high-powered corporations, major manufacturers and national retailers.

Its population skews young and diverse, so the city leans into family and fun, as evidenced by its prolific parks, public art, frequent festivals, local foods and music.

Chandler’s lively personality, coupled with a location 20 minutes from PhoenixSky Harbor International Airport and adjacent to Interstate 10, makes it a perfect place for faith-based groups to gather—whether it’s for a women’s retreat, a youth rally, a regional conference or a church board meeting.

Downtown draws crowds Even groups that don’t meet at Chandler’s best-known hotel, downtown’s 249room Crowne Plaza Phoenix-Chandler Golf Resort, will want to spend time in the heart of the city. Downtown is walkable; sheltered by pavilions, trellis-covered walkways and palms; and punctuated by pocket parks. Many of its restaurants, bars and shops are housed in carefully restored buildings from the early 1900s; others are more modern.

CROWNE PLAZA PHOENIX-CHANDLER GOLF RESORT

HIGH BANK DISTILLERY

Downtown’s dining options—more than 40 in all—include Mexican, Italian, Thai, New American, sushi, barbecue, steak and seafood, so it is easy for attendees to find foods that suit their tastes. Other options appeal to everyone and promote togetherness, like QuartHaus, a roomy outdoor space where visitors rub elbows with locals—and likely their pups—as they play cornhole, basketball and other games and grab slices of pizza. The whole place can be booked for events.

Hotels for every group’s needs

THE FERRIS WHEEL AT SCHEELS

ANDRETTI INDOOR KARTING

DR. A.J. CHANDLER’S CAR AT THE CHANDLER MUSEUM

Chandler’s hotels fit a wide range of groups. The historic Crowne Plaza, built by town founder Dr. A.J. Chandler, is an urban resort with landscaped courtyards, a pool shaded by palm trees and a well-known golf course a few blocks away. A new addition to its 32,000 square feet of meeting space is the Ocotillo Studio, a small meeting space that feels like a modern living room in a well-appointed home. When larger groups at the Crowne Plaza need nearby overflow rooms downtown, the 110-room Hilton Garden Inn is three minutes away.

A few miles from downtown, plenty of hotel rooms are situated around Chandler Fashion Center, a massive indoor-outdoor shopping complex that serves as another shopping, dining and entertainment district.

A dozen limited-service and suite hotels as well as the recently renovated 197-room Hilton Phoenix Chandler and its 17,000 square feet of meeting space are near the shopping complex.

Chandler Fashion Center is home to 180 stores and restaurants, a 20-screen movie theater and the Crayola Experience. It also feels like a town square, hosting charity events, free yoga classes and booking its lawn for outdoor gatherings.

In September, another major retailer became an anchor at the center, when SCHEELS, the Midwestern-based outdoor retailer, opened its first Arizona location there. It features SCHEELS’ signatures like a 45-foot Ferris wheel, a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, a wildlife mountain, a candy factory, a café and arcade games.

Chandler’s newest conference hotel, the 264-room Marriott Phoenix Chandler, opened in 2019 near the city’s corporate corridor. Planners appreciate the thoughtfully designed meeting space, 28,000 square feet all on the first floor. Its 10,000-square-foot ballroom is Chandler’s largest contiguous event space.

MARRIOTT PHOENIX CHANDLER

From karting and pickleball to cattle drives There’s no shortage of fun activities in Chandler, and the list of options continues to grow. For example, Andretti Indoor Karting will open in early 2024, drawing wannabe racecar drivers as well as those who love laser tag, virtual reality experiences and other games. Organizers will appreciate group packages that cover activities, event space and food and 8,000 square feet of event space equipped with AV and wi-fi.

Corporate demand has inspired many team-building businesses, including Escape Chandler, rated one of the top five teambuilding operations in the West by AAA, and the newest, a locally grown business called Game Show Battle Rooms. “If you were a kid, who loved spending sick days at home watching ‘The Price Is Right’ or other game shows, this is the place for you,” says Kimberly Janes with Visit Chandler. “You get to be the contestant.”

At Pickleball Kingdom, one of the nation’s largest indoor pickleball facilities, personalized tournaments can be organized for groups. For team building with an Old West twist, groups can venture out to KOLI, an equestrian facility, for trail rides or cattle drives followed by a barbecue dinner, cowboy games and a hay ride.

CHANDLER CHUCK WAGON COOK-OFF

Explore Chandler and beyond Chandler’s location also makes it easy for groups to explore other parts of Arizona. They might load up a motorcoach for a short trip to Phoenix’s Heard Museum, the Phoenix Art Museum or the Musical Instrument Museum. If there’s time for a day trip or an overnight, the red rocks of Sedona are about two hours away; the Grand Canyon’s a four- to five-hour drive.

There’s also plenty to see in Chandler. Conference-goers who want to experience the Southwest might organize a guided hike in the nearby mountains or desert or pay a visit to the Chandler Museum featuring local, regional and national exhibits. For a literal taste of Chandler’s Asian culture—it has the state’s largest Asian population—there’s Chandler Ranch, a strip mall where more than a couple of dozen businesses sell everything from Korean fried chicken and sushi to baked goods and Asian gifts. The development is anchored by 99 Ranch Market, the largest Asian supermarket chain in the U.S. Another option for local flavor is a farm-to-table dinner at Greenhouse Gardens, where Kimberly Janes can easily arrange entertainment like live music or Native American hoop dancers.

Another plus for planners is knowing they can turn to Janes for assistance. After 20 years with Visit Chandler, she is an expert on the city, its venues, attractions and suppliers. “I know this area and can get them the right connections,” she assures.

RUSH EXTREME FUN PARK

HIKING AT VETERANS OASIS PARK

For more information contact: KIMBERLY JANES VISIT CHANDLER 480-782-3037 KIMBERLY.JANES@CHANDLERAZ.GOV VISITCHANDLER.COM

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STATE OF FAITH

Courtesy Corvette Museum

KENTUCKY

Courtesy Kentucky Tourism

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EXHIBIT E X P L O R E T HE S IGN AT URE M US EUMS OF THE BLUEGRASS STATE ON THI S R OA D T R I P Clockwise from top left: a Corvette in front of the Corvette Museum’s signature spire; an exhibit at the National Quilt Museum; a sloth at the Ark Encounter’s zoo

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going on faith | winter 2023 Courtesy Ark Encounter

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entucky is rich in so much more than just bourbon — it’s brimming with a culture encompassing faith, classic American cars, legendary figures and longstanding traditions. On a trip through rolling hills of the central and western regions, faith-based groups will find an eclectic collection of crowd-pleasing museums covering topics from the Bluegrass State’s humble roots to its booming industries.

This five-day itinerary takes groups to some of the state’s most iconic museums, beginning in Williamstown, in northern Kentucky, before taking them south to Lexington, in the heart of the Bluegrass.

Then, groups can head west and make stops in Louisville, Bowling Green and Paducah.

It’s not difficult to see why the Ark Encounter is one of Kentucky’s most popular group attractions — at 510 feet long, 85 feet wide and 51 feet high, this massive wooden structure is built to the specifications listed in the Bible, making it one of the most architecturally impressive and distinct landmarks in the commonwealth. It’s also a museum dedicated to retelling the story of Noah’s Ark with three floors of interactive exhibits.

But there’s more for groups to discover; the ark is just the centerpiece of a large theme park dedicated to exploring the Genesis story.

The Ark Encounter is a crowd-pleaser thanks to its arsenal of entertaining experiences available with ticket price, such as entry to the park’s zoo, or as add-ons that include zip-lining and camel riding. Groups might catch an educational lecture or a concert while at the Ark Encounter. They have plenty of dining choices in the park, from the buffet at Emzara’s Kitchen to light fare and snacks at the Olive Leaf Cafe.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: In addition to Williamstown’s quaint downtown, the bustling region of Northern Kentucky is just a short drive from the ark. There, groups can tour New Riff Distillery, visit Newport Aquarium, dine on BB Riverboats or take a historic walking tour of Newport. The Creation Museum, a sister museum to the Ark Encounter, is less than 45 minutes from the park.

The Ark at sunset

Courtesy Ark Encounter

MORE INFO | arkencounter.com

A virtual reality experience at the Ark Encounter

Courtesy Ark Encounter

going on faith | goingonfaith.com 11

An artifact at the International Museum of the Horse

2 L E X I N GTO N HIGHLIGHT | KENTUCKY HORSE PARK Opened alongside the Kentucky Horse Park in 1978, the International Museum of the Horse is a Smithsonian-affiliated museum with 64,000 square feet of exhibits detailing man’s relationship with horses across history. From the beginnings of their domestication to the billion-dollar horse racing industry of today, each connection between man and beast is explored. The museum has over 16,000 artifacts, from photographs to artwork, for guests to see. Exhibits focus on a variety of topics, from the impact of Black jockeys in the racing industry to the origins and development of various breeds of horses.

Groups can peruse the galleries of exhibits and even catch an educational demonstration hosted by the museum. The museum is at the Kentucky Horse Park, which offers a variety of programs and shows for groups, from tours around the farm to horse shows. Visitors to the park can dine at the Iron Works Café, which can arrange group meals upon request.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Groups can take van tours of other horse farms and visit Keeneland racetrack. For an urban experience, they can head into the city’s revitalized Distillery District and tour the James E. Pepper Distillery. They can also enjoy a slice of Goodfella’s Pizza, several breweries and cideries, and craft ice cream in the buzzing district.

Viewing artwork at the International Museum of the Horse

MORE INFO | imh.org

A horse statue at the International Museum of the Horse in Lexington

Photos courtesy Kentucky Tourism

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SCAN WITH YOUR PHONE’S CAMERA

3 LO U I SV I L L E HIGHLIGHT | MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest boxing legends in history, and he was born in Louisville. In 2005, the Muhammad Ali Center opened between the city’s historic Main Street and the Ohio River with the goal of educating and inspiring visitors. The center is both a museum and a tribute to Ali’s career and legacy, including his activism and philanthropic efforts.

Groups have several options for getting acquainted with the Ali Center, including self-guided tours of the museum’s two floors of exhibits and two floors of art; a guided two-hour tour; a tour including access to the museum’s archives; and Ali’s Louisville Trolley Tour, which takes groups from the center to important spots throughout Louisville that played a part in Ali’s life. The museum also features a store and a theater, as well as its own parking garage.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Louisville has no shortage of museums, including the Louisville Slugger Museum, which is easily identifiable thanks to the 120-foot-tall baseball bat leaning against its entrance.

There’s also Churchill Downs, home to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Derby Museum; the Frazier History Museum; and plenty of historic architecture for groups to explore.

MORE INFO | alicenter.org

CLASSES, LECTURES & SPECIAL EVENTS Learn from the industry’s top quilters

SHOPPING & DEMOS Merchant Mall and AQS Learning Center QUILT EXHIBITS Hundreds of quilts on display

Learn More at

AMERICANQUILTER.COM 2024 SHOW DATES

Louisville’s Muhammad Ali Center

DAYTONA BEACH, FL FEB. 21–24, 2024 BRANSON, MO MAR. 13–16, 2024

PADUCAH, KY APR. 24–27, 2024 GRAND RAPIDS, MI AUG. 21–24, 2024 LANCASTER, PA SEPT. 11–14, 2024

NATIONAL BRAND PARTNERS

Exhibits about Muhammad Ali Photos courtesy Louisville Tourism

Reliability by Design

going on faith | goingonfaith.com 13

4 B OW L I N G G R E E N HIGHLIGHT CORVETTE MUSEUM One of the most recognizable and coveted sports cars is the Corvette. These sleek and speedy automobiles, first manufactured by General Motors in 1953, are synonymous with the American Dream and have cultivated a culture all their own. The Corvette Museum is visible from Interstate 65 thanks to the 130-foot high, yellow and conical Skydome. The museum’s unique design, Skydome and all, is reminiscent of the car’s design.

Groups can take guided tours of the 115,000-square-foot museum to enjoy exhibits detailing the car’s history. Topics range from vintage Corvettes to the design and engineering behind the iconic cars. To delve even deeper into these legendary automobiles, groups can tour the nearby General Motors Bowling Green Assembly Plant. Here, they’ll enjoy the rare opportunity to learn how these cars are manufactured at every step. To round out their visits, groups can enjoy lunch at the museum’s Stingray Grill, which serves a variety of sandwiches, burgers and salads.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Bowling Green is also home to another transportation museum, the Historic Railpark and Train Museum, where groups can take self-guided tours and learn about the history of railroads in western Kentucky.

To get more acquainted with the city, they can charter the Bowling Green Trolley for a narrated tour or peruse the shops and restaurants in the historic and picturesque town square. They can also enjoy one of the many restaurants that have earned Bowling Green a reputation as a foodiefriendly city.

MORE INFO corvettemuseum.org

Bowling Green’s Corvette Museum Courtesy Corvette Museum

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5 PA D U C A H HIGHLIGHT | NATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM Quilting is an art form that’s both functional and aesthetic, and it can be traced back to at least medieval times. Today, it remains a prominent art form and a celebrated hobby for many. To see a beautiful and expansive display of contemporary quilts, groups should head to Paducah’s National Quilt Museum, which features a collection of over 650 quilts by different artists. From brightly colored abstract images to intricate portraits, these quilts depict a variety of styles, colors and aesthetics for visitors to enjoy. The museum features rotating exhibits highlighting the work of some of the world’s best quilters.

Opened in 1991, this museum has drawn in nearly 1 million visitors and earned Paducah the designation of Quilt City. It features free on-site parking, as well as a gift shop. Groups can peruse the galleries of quilts and learn about the quilters behind these works of art. The museum also offers quilting classes and workshops.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Paducah is a designated UNESCO Creative City, but it’s also known for its charming downtown and its waterways. Groups can experience creative ventures with a variety of classes covering topics such as painting and ceramics.

Quilts at the National Quilt Museum

Exterior of Paducah’s National Quilt Museum Photos courtesy Kentucky Tourism

MORE INFO | quiltmuseum.org

Georgetown, Kentucky

Georgetown, the heart of Kentucky’s horse scene, offers pure small town charm, history and horse-centric fun including the Kentucky Horse Park, Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm, & plenty of horsepower at Toyota’s largest facility in the world. It’s the ultimate spot for groups wanting to ride into Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region.

Nearby attractions: Ark Encounter, Creation Museum & Keeneland

Plan your groups getaway at

www.georgetownky.com/groups | 844.863.8600 19 hotels + over 80 Restaurants Right Off 64 + 75 INTERSTATE

INTERSTATE

going on faith | goingonfaith.com 15

TRAVEL

SNAP SHOT

LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA

BY TOM A D K I N SO N

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Courtesy Lafayette Travel

Top: Travelers can enjoy tours and expeditions through the beautiful wetlands surrounding Lafayette.

Bottom: A shrimp po’ boy at Joey’s Lafayette

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going on faith | winter 2023

afayette Parish in South Louisiana’s activity-filled Cajun country is proof that America is not so much a melting pot as it is a stew pot . . . or more appropriately a gumbo kettle. Stews and gumbos are not purees of their ingredients. They come together to create a new treat, while simultaneously preserving the identity of many of their components.

That’s oh so true down here in the swamps, rice fields and bayous around Lafayette.

Lafayette Parish marked its 250th birthday in 2023. Lafayette itself — with a population of 121,000 and the amenities and services that group tours require — is the hub of Acadiana, a multi-parish region dotted with small towns and myriad attractions.

The region retains reminders of an exile in the 1700s that created Cajun culture and the influences of other groups, Spanish and Africans among them. It is a region renowned for its food, hospitality and joie de vivre. You seldom see anyone wearing a frown.

“Evangeline,” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem, immortalized the trauma when the

By Jaimie Orillion, courtesy Lafayette Travel

British pushed Colonists of French heritage in Acadiana (what now is Atlantic Canada) into exile between 1755 and 1764. The refugees called it the Great Upheaval or the Great Expulsion, and many made it to south Louisiana, where the “Acadian” label eventually morphed into today’s word “Cajun.”

The Acadians were hardscrabble farmers trying to survive in a land that was far from ideal and unlike their Northern homes. They learned to build pirogues to travel on the slowmoving rivers (bayous), how to cultivate the arable land and how to live on nature’s bounty (crawfish, waterfowl, fish and oysters) — all while retaining a spirit of celebration.

That’s why Lafayette and Acadiana are blessed with excellent (but not fancy or pretentious) restaurants; a deep sense of history; Cajun and Zydeco music made distinctive with accordions, fiddles and triangles; and a spirit that can get almost anyone onto the dance floor.

Regardless of when you bring a group to Lafayette, you’ll find delicious food, interesting characters, irresistible music and good times.

‘BRING YOUR STRETCHY PANTS’ FOR A FOOD TOUR It’s almost impossible to make a restaurant mistake in Lafayette, but you can guarantee multiple successes by linking up with Marie Ducote, owner of Cajun Food Tours. She was a history teacher, but she left the classroom, bought a bus and began showcasing Acadiana’s downhome food scene.

A tour with Ducote means sampling all kinds of Cajun treats at several stops, including the ultimate Cajun snack food, boudin (a mildly spicy rice and meat sausage whose makers guard their recipes closely). Ducote offers this advice: “Don’t eat before you come, and wear your stretchy pants.”

CAJUNFOODTOURS.COM

STEP BACK IN TIME AT VERMILIONVILLE If you can’t attend one of Lafayette’s numerous festivals (the Festival International de Louisiane in April and the Festivals Acadiens et Creoles in October are two of the biggest), Vermilionville is available all year. Vermilionville recreates an Acadian village from 1765-1890, featuring 19 restored and reproduced buildings. Real people bring it to life. Meet woodcarvers, weavers, spinners, accordion players, fiddle players and more, and sample authentic recipes at La Cuisine de Maman (Mama’s Kitchen), a restaurant where excellent gumbo competes for attention with chicken and sausage jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, shrimp etouffee and other temptations.

BAYOUVERMILIONDISTRICT.ORG/VERMILIONVILLE

A chapel at Vermilionville

By Kent Hutslar, courtesy Lafayette Travel

GET CLOSE (BUT NOT TOO CLOSE) TO AN ALLIGATOR Although alligators are in the on-campus swamp at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, a more memorable way to meet a gator is on a tour into the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp about 25 miles east. McGee’s Swamp Tours in Henderson has taken groups into the swamp for decades. A McGee boat ride is enlightening instead of ominous, thrilling instead of scary. This is America’s largest river swamp (it’s bigger than the Everglades) and is home to 65 reptile and amphibian species, more than 250 bird species (including nesting bald eagles), black bears, beavers, otters, raccoons and more. McGee’s offers traditional excursion boats and roaring airboats.

MCGEESSWAMPTOURS.COM

An alligator on Lake Martin Courtesy Lafayette Travel

Evangeline Oak

REMEMBER A POETRY LESSON, THEN GO DANCING Louisiana’s first state park, Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site in St. Martinville, is a testament to the power of poetry and the emotional tale of separated lovers. The first Acadians to reach Louisiana established farms here along bayous Teche and Tortue. A reproduction farmstead is part of the park. Nearby is the Evangeline Oak, a massive live oak visitors associate with the fictional poem. A few miles up the road in Breaux Bridge are modern-day celebrations of the region’s culture — a Zydeco breakfast on Saturday or a Cajun band Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Buck and Johnny’s.

LASTATEPARKS.COM

By Tom Adkinson

going on faith | goingonfaith.com 17

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE WITH TABASCO

A Tabasco tasting

By Tom Adkinson

Peppers are one reason some Cajun and Creole food has a zing, and for a lot of people that zing comes from Tabasco brand sauce. Groups can see how the famous pepper sauce is made, shop, and enjoy a meal at Tabasco’s facility on Avery Island, about 30 miles from Lafayette. The story began with the bland diet of the Reconstruction South. Edmund McIlhenny wanted to spice things up. As an avid gardener, he acquired pepper seeds from Mexico and Central America and went into business in 1868. His business still is family owned, and it has added eight variations of his original recipe — mild to wild.

TABASCO.COM/VISIT-AVERY-ISLAND

VISIT AMERICA’S OLDEST RICE MILL

Conrad Rice Mill

By Tom Adkinson

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Rice is essential for Louisiana food, which makes the Conrad Rice Mill in New Iberia even more interesting. The small operation is America’s oldest rice mill. P.A. Conrad founded the company in 1912 to grow and mill his own rice. The business grew, and Conrad began buying rice from other farmers.

Today’s owners, Mike and Sandy Davis, offer low-key tours of the mill. But more importantly for groups, they operate a company store offering wild pecan rice, original brown rice, a long grain and wild rice mix, a paella rice mix and a curry rice mix. Spices include Creole seasoning, Greek seasoning and Gulf Coast seasoning blended especially for shrimp, crab, crawfish and chicken.

CONRADRICE.COM

2024

AFRICAN AMERICAN H E R I TA G E G U I D E

PUBLISHED BY THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER

METRO MAGIC

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 COURTESY HARLEM ONE STOP

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2 0 2 4 A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N H E R I TA G E G U I D E

COURTESY PURE MICHIGAN

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 CLAIRE 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 2 0 2 4 A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N H E R I TA G E G U I D E

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Detroit’s Motown Museum

A family reunion in Baltimore

A bust of Frederick Douglass

COURTESY VISIT BALTIMORE

COURTESY PURE MICHIGAN

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

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COURTESY ATLANTA 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

COURTESY MO DIV. OF TOURISM

The National Blues Museum in St. Louis

COURTESY EXPLORE LOUISIANA

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

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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.

Learn more at eji.org

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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.

Right: A historic photo at the Louis Armstrong House Museum COURTESY NATIONAL AFRO-AMERICAN MUSEUM

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COURTESY LOUIS ARMSTRONG HOUSE MUSEUM

BY KATI HYER

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 thoughtprovoking 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 created

The Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll had a larger-than-life career, but understanding that she came from a rural town with a tiny, oneroom 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.

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COURTESY WEST TN DELTA HERITAGE CENTER

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

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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

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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 70 MINS FROM THE ARK 29 70 MINS FROM THE ARK

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IMMERSIVE MOMENTS 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

COURTESY CREESEWORKS

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COURTESY CHOOSE CHICAGO

BILL PICKETT INVITATIONAL RODEO

Multiple Locations

BY CLAIRE HANNUM

IMMERSIV E TOURS A ND EV ENTS OFFER A N 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 Blackowned 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.

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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.

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JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

COURTESY DEELIGHTFUL ROUX SCHOOL OF COOKING

Deelightful Roux School of Cooking

COURTESY BILL PICKET INVITATIONAL RODEO

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

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Get a Taste of Bourbon City’s Black Heritage.

GoToLouisville.com/Travel-Professionals

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ArkEncounter.com/groups An attraction of Answers in Genesis