As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary this
summer, the travel spotlight will focus on the popular landmarks that define
our history. However, to truly celebrate the American story is also to
acknowledge America's Black entertainers, entrepreneurs, and civil rights
leaders. From the historic Lyric Theater in Miami to the Black History Walking
Tour in Providence, Rhode Island, these five destinations are essential stops
for anyone looking to celebrate America's legacy.
Jackson,
Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi, is a city where the Civil
Rights Movement, Black culture, and culinary excellence all come together.
Travelers can visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, which
features interactive galleries that offer a powerful narrative of the Civil
Rights Movement, including firsthand accounts from Freedom Rider Hezekiah
Watkins. On the west side of the city, the Medgar
and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument offers a personal look at
the family’s revolutionary activism and Medgar Evers’ role as the NAACP’s first
field secretary.
Beyond the museums, Jackson has several thriving
Black neighborhoods and businesses. Farish Street remains a symbol of Black
entrepreneurship, home to Marshall’s Music & Bookstore, the nation's
oldest Black-owned bookstore. Culinary landmarks like Big Apple Inn and Stamps
Super Burgers serve up history alongside comfort food, while The Orchid Bed
& Breakfast, which opened in 2023, is the state’s first
Black-owned B&B. Another important attraction is the Mississippi Freedom Trail, which features nine
markers throughout Jackson highlighting pivotal moments in the fight for
freedom.
Miami, Florida
Miami serves as a vibrant stage for Black
entrepreneurship, both past and present. In Historic Overtown, once called the
"Harlem of the South," the Lyric Theatre hosted legends such as Ella
Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Sam Cooke. Today, visitors can attend live
events at the Lyric Theatre and explore the Black Archives Historic Lyric
Theatre Cultural Arts Complex. Nearby, Historic
Virginia Key Beach stands as a landmark of civil rights history, a
former African American-only beach during segregation.
Year-round, the creative energy of the Black
community shines through the annual American Black Film Festival, one of the
nation’s most influential platforms for diverse storytelling. Nonprofit
organizations like AfriKin
continue to foster connections between Black artists, scholars, and
entrepreneurs through exhibitions, talks, and cultural exchanges across Miami.
To taste Miami's flavors, visitors can sign up for an immersive food tour with Key2Mia
Tours. The city is also home to several Black-owned soul food
restaurants, including Kitchen + Cocktails, Marcus Samuelsson’s Red
Rooster, and the newly opened and Caribbean-inspired Las’ Lap.
The Historic Lyric Theater in Miami. (Photo Credit: Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.)
Providence, Rhode
Island
Providence may not be the first place you think of
for Black History landmarks, but the city holds a wealth of Black history. This
year, Providence marks a historic milestone with the opening of the African American
Museum of Rhode Island (AAMRI), a landmark institution exploring the
African diasporas. The city is part of the continuing legacy of Black
storytelling with the Rhode
Island Black Storytellers, whose annual FUNDA FEST brings
oral traditions to life. There are also cultural hubs like Stages of
Freedom, a Black-owned bookstore and museum, and AS220, a
nonprofit community arts center, which supports local Black artists and
performers.
History seekers in Providence can follow the Early Black History Walking Tour, which traces
the city’s Black history back to the 1700s, or visit the Providence
Art Club, which has an exhibit honoring Black 9th-century painter Edward Mitchell Bannister,
one of the founders of the Rhode Island School of Design. The journey through
the diaspora continues at local Black-owned dining favorites like Suya Joint,
serving bold Nigerian flavors, and the vibrant Afrique
D’Lounge.
Little Rock,
Arkansas
Little Rock is a cornerstone of the American Civil
Rights story, offering a powerful look at the courage that redefined a nation.
The journey begins at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site,
where the "Little Rock Nine" heroically desegregated the school in
1957. Across the street, the Visitor Center provides an intimate look at their
transformative bravery.
In Downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, the Civil Rights Heritage Trail
showcases the stories of the Civil Rights Movement, honoring the unsung heroes
and Freedom Riders who fought for justice. Nearby, the Daisy L. Gatson Bates House preserves the
legacy of the mentor and leader who guided the students through the crisis. For
a glimpse into the city’s vibrant cultural past, visit Taborian Hall and its historic Dreamland
Ballroom. Once the heart of the 9th Street "Line," its stage hosted
legends like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, standing today as a monument
to Black entrepreneurship and artistry.
Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo Credit: Visit Jackson)
Dallas, Texas
In Dallas, Black history isn't confined to a single
district, but woven into the city's neighborhoods and architecture. At the African American
Museum of Dallas, art and history intersect to tell the unique story
of the Black experience in the Southwest. The Juanita J.
Craft Civil Rights House preserves the legacy of a strategist whose
home served as a vital headquarters for dismantling segregation across Texas.
In the heart of the city, the Freedman’s Cemetery Memorial honors Dallas’s
earliest Black residents, reclaiming a story nearly erased by urban
development. The city’s creative pulse thrives in Deep Ellum,
a historic district shaped by Black musicians and entrepreneurs. Here, the Kimpton Pittman Hotel stands as a restored
landmark designed by William Sidney Pittman, one of Texas’s first Black
architects. Together, these sites offer a profound look at how Black activism
and brilliance continue to define Dallas today.
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