10 Iconic Sites to Celebrate Black History Month

Though the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in September 2016, it has already welcomed more than 3 million visitors. The Washington, D.C. museum's robust collection includes nearly 37,000 artifacts, documents, photographs and other media.

This 30-foot-tall white granite statue of iconic Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was opened to the public in 2011. Visitors to the nation's capital can find it in West Potomac Park near the National Mall.

The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee is home to more than 260 unique artifacts, dozens of exhibitions and includes the site of the former Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968. Spring visitors can participate in a day of remembrance on April 4, 2018, which will mark the 50th anniversary of King's death.

The first National Park Service unit to be dedicated to an African American, Missouri's George Washington Carver National Monument pays tribute to the legendary scientist, educator and inventor. Take your time along the one-mile-long self-guided trail to see the Boy Carver statue, Carver's childhood home and his family's cemetery.

Harriet Tubman's roots can be traced back to Maryland's eastern shore, where you'll find the National Monument preserving the legacy of the Underground Railroad's most renowned conductor. The newly-opened visitor center is a great place to start your journey as it features permanent exhibits, an information desk and a museum store.

Nine African American students made history at Little Rock Central High School in 1957 on the heels of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling, taking a huge step toward the desegregation of public schools. Visitors will need to reserve a guided tour (call (501) 374-1957) in advance in order to gain access to this still-active school.

Located just an hour from New Orleans, Louisiana's Evergreen Plantation is the most intact plantation complex in the South, featuring more than three dozen buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can take a 90-minute walking tour of both the main house and 22 slave cabins.

February 2018 marks the opening of a new exhibition at Baltimore's Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. Reflections: Intimate Portraits of Iconic African Americans is a documentary-style series of portraits utilizing black-and-white photographs and mirrors to create a truly unique visual.

Situated on the banks of the Ohio River in Downtown Cincinnati, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center celebrates notable efforts throughout history to secure freedom for African Americans in hopes of encouraging others to continue the fight for freedom to all people.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit has a busy February planned, so visitors will want to carefully study the events calendar. There are at least 10 current exhibitions at the museum, including a permanent exhibit showcasing African Americans in science and technology.