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BLACK
HISTORY
MONTH
SPECIAL

Kids imaginations can run wild

when exploring
the heroes at the
African American
Civil War Memorial
and Museum.

Adventures
in History
STEP OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM AND
PLAN TRIPS TO 10 HISTORIC SITES THAT
EVERY BLACK FAMILY SHOULD VISIT

A FP/G E T T Y I M AG ES

rom iconic memorials, interactive exhibitions and

historic landmarks to international sites of struggle,
these 10 attractions promise to spark family conversations about our rich and complex past. Perhaps the
only thing better than seeing these sites in person?
Having memories to cherish for years to come.

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V I S I T E B O N Y. C O M / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

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AFRICAN AMERICAN
CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL
1|
AND MUSEUM
1925 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington,
D.C. | afroamcivilwar.org

Go beyond what the textbooks say to explore the

often-forgotten role Black
soldiers played in ending slavery. Through artifacts and
one-of-a-kind exhibitions,
students are introduced to
the battles of the Civil War
and the controversial arming of African-American
troops. And dont worry;
little girls will
discover their
own heroines at
this inspiring
memorial. The
contributions of
African-American
women to the war as
guides, scouts and
spies are at the
center of one of
the museums
most popular
lectures.
A woman in period
costume at an African American Civil
War Museum parade

2. National
Multicultural
Western
Heritage
Museum and
Hall of Fame
Despite the fact that
few Westerns feature
Black cowboys, experts
have revealed that their
absence from American
history and the popular
movie genre is not
accurate. The National
Multicultural Western
Heritage Museum
educates visitors on the
crucial role minorities
played in settling the
West, including the history of Black cowboys,
Buffalo soldiers and
female pioneers. The
exhibitions allow visitors
to see the original uniforms and saddles of the
famed Buffalo Soldiers,
learn about the contributions of Native Americans and hear stories of
the forgotten cowboys in
their Hall of Fame.
Above: Cowboy gear on display.

3400 Mount Vernon

Avenue, Fort Worth,
Texas | cowboysofcolor.org

Gray Line
New Orleans
Hurricane
Katrina Tour
The tour highlights
rebuilt areas as well as
devastated neighborhoods.

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Immerse the family in the reconstruction of the

Big Easy. When
Hurricane Katrina
hit New Orleans

V I S I T E B O N Y. C O M / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

The museums restored version of the

lunch counter where
The Greensboro
Four sat. Below: The
building at night.

International Civil Rights

Center & Museum

134 S. Elm St., Greensboro, N.C. | sitinmovement.org

If your family saw Lee Daniels The Butler, everyone

will be excited to visit one of the actual sites where the
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee enacted
its famous lunch-counter sit-ins. On Feb. 1, 1960, four
freshmen from North Carolina A&T State University,
known as The Greensboro Four, sat down at a Whites
only counter and sparked a revolution. The International Civil Rights Center & Museum, located next door
to the storied F.W. Woolworths store, celebrates
the nonviolent protests of
organized sit-ins. Seeing
the original lunch counter and archival photos,
your family will be able
to connect with the brave
students who broke racial
barriers with relentless
determination.

and the surrounding areas in 2005,

the catastrophe
left thousands
of residents displaced, many
dead and entire
neighborhoods
demolished. This
bus tour explores

the causes of the

damage, the history of the citys
famed French
Quarter and takes
tourists through
St. Bernard Parish and the Lower
Ninth Ward, areas
particularly hard

hit. Finally, see the

continued rebirth
of New Orleans
and the engineering that, hopefully,
will prevent future
similar calamities.
graylineneworleans.com

T H E W A S H I N G T O N P O S T/ G E T T Y I M A G E S ; R A U L A . M O S L E Y ; I M A G E S C O U R T E S Y O F I N T E R N AT I O N A L C I V I L R I G H T S C E N T E R & M U S E U M ; A N D Y N E L S O N / G E T T Y I M A G E S

A visitor takes in a
historical time line.

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8.
The Sea
Islands of
South Carolina

Visitors to Cape
Coast Castle are
shown artifacts
believed to be
used by the castles
inhabitants.

4933 Cleves Warsaw Ave., Cincinnati | union-baptist.net

Shrimp caught off Hilton Head, S.C.

Who says swimming and social studies dont mix? The

pristine beaches of South
Carolinas Sea Islands, also
known as the Gullah Islands,
are home to West African
traditions preserved as
if in a time capsule. After
the Civil War, the Gullahs
were abandoned. It was
that isolation, however, that
helped preserve the islands
and their culture. Today, the
magical lands continue to
be home to unique artisan
crafts, savory seafood and
religious folklore. One of
the nations first schools for
freed slaves, Penn School, is
on St. Helena Island. Learn
to crab like an islander at
Hunting Island State Park;
master native crafting at Ms.
Natalies Workshop; then
dine on the famous shrimp
burgers and sweet tea at
the Shrimp Shack.

5
Cape Coast Castle & Museum
For the ultimate history lesson, cross the Atlantic Ocean on a flight into Accra,
Ghana, to be transformed by one of the most influential castles built for the slave
trade. After a three-hour bus ride to the coast, tourists walk through the same halls,
cells and passageways that African slaves marched through, including the infamous
final exit known as the Point of No Return. Tour guides discuss the economics of
American slavery as well as the human toll, as visitors are shown eerie dungeons
where memorial wreaths now hang, including one donated by President Barack
Obama during a visit in July 2009.
Victoria Road P.O. Box 281, Cape Coast, Ghana | capecoastcastle.ghana-net.net

1850 W. Basin Drive SW, Washington, D.C. |

nps.gov/mlkm

MLK is flanked by memorials to Presidents Thomas

Jefferson and Abraham
Lincoln.

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V I S I T E B O N Y. C O M / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4

Watts Towers

A beacon of imagination and a

symbol of the willpower of one Italian immigrant, Watts Towers, in
Southern California, is a must-visit
for any family who loves public art.
Just 30 minutes from the bright
lights of Tinseltown, the structures
were built by Simon Sam Rodia
over a 34-year span starting in the
1920s. Without the benefit of any
machines or construction equipment, he worked single-handedly
to erect the masterpiece, which he
called Nuestro Pueblo or Our
Town, out of broken tile, glass
and seashells. The tallest of the 17
mosaic structures stands at 99 feet
and anchors an adjacent art center.
Continuing the legacy of art in this
predominantly African-American
and Hispanic neighborhood, many
1727 E 107th St., Los Angeles |
wattstowers.us

Watts Towers
is a beacon of
art in a neighborhood
otherwise
known for its
1965 riots.

K A R E N K A S M A U S K I / S C I E N C E FA C T I O N / C O R B I S ; W I L L I A M M A N N I N G / C O R B I S ;
JASON REED/REUTERS/CORBIS; ROBIN NELSON/SPLASH NEWS

Pint-sized peacemakers will be

eager to visit the newest memorial
on the National Mall and to pose like the
American Civil Rights icon. After snapping a few selfies and family photos, take
the kids to read over a dozen powerful
quotes from King that span a granite
wall facing the Tidal Basin.
Grab a quick bite to eat
before using the day as a
teachable moment,
discussing Kings fight for
freedom and liberties as
well as his inspirational message of
nonviolence.

homes across the street from the

Towers have been adopted by
artists and architects. Thanks to
the Watts House Project, they have
been reimagined and painted with
vibrant muralsa stunning sight
for budding artists and longtime
enthusiasts alike.
JANE HAHN/CORBIS; JOHN GREIM/LOOP IMAGES/LOOP IMAGES/CORBIS;
RICHARD CUMMINS/CORBIS

LUTHER KING JR.

MEMORIAL
6|MARTIN

Baptist
9Union
Cemetery

gullahgeecheecorridor.org

Although a cemetery may seem like an odd family destination, its the perfect place to teach
children history that was left out of their textbooks. Founded in 1831 by free Blacks, Union
Baptist Church holds a unique distinction both
in American history and modern-day Black culture. The nearby cemetery is the oldest Baptist
African-American cemetery in Cincinnati, run by
the oldest Black Baptist congregation in the city.
The cemetery is a monument to about 120 free
Black men who fought in the Civil War. Recruited
by Frederick Douglass, they were members of the
Norths first all-Black unit, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, and fought bravely in spite of a
proclamation by the Confederate Congress that
every captured Black soldier would be sold into
slavery. While in The Queen City, be sure to tour
the National Underground Railroad Freedom
Center to explore artifacts from American slavery and to learn about the many forms of slavery
that still exist worldwide.
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center |
50 East Freedom Way, Cincinnati (freedomcenter.org)

A vivid National Underground

Railroad Freedom Center exhibition
displays life during American slavery.

Morehouse
10
and Spelman Colleges

Whether you have teenagers or rambunctious

tykes, its never too
early for a college tour.
Morehouse and Spelman
Colleges are perfect first
stops because of their
proximity to one another
and the sheer excitement
that takes place on these
HBCU campuses. From
Morehouse fraternities
performing community
service on the yard to
jazz wafting on the plaza
outside Jazzmans and
the extraordinary words

of alum Martin Luther

King Jr. etched on the
base of a statue, life on
the campus is full of inspiration for young Black
scholars. Daughters will
all but beg to attend
Spelman after watching
students build a model
for the upcoming robotics competition, then
spotting Spelmanites
fundraising for cancer
research on the colleges
picturesque grounds.

President Obama walking during Morehouses 2013 commencement (above);

Spelmans pristine quad (below).

FEBRUARY 2014

830 Westview Dr. S.W.,

Atlanta | morehouse.edu
350 Spelman Lane S.W.,
Atlanta | spelman.edu
/ V I S I T E B O N Y. C O M

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