Heritage + History 2023 - 50

AFRICAN
AMERICAN
CULTURE
TRAIL TALES
Historic trails help string together individual
sites of significance, making them stronger
as a collective whole, and the U.S. Civil
Rights Trail is a powerful example of this.
The collection of more than 130 churches,
courthouses, schools, museums, and other
landmarks spans over 15 states (primarily in
the South) where activists challenged segregation
in the 1950s and 1960s to advance civil
rights and social justice. Groups can use the
trail's official website (civilrightstrail.com) as
a resource for building itineraries.
In Boston, groups are probably familiar
with The Freedom Trail full of Revolutionary
War-era sites, but they might not know
about The Black Heritage Trail, a 1.6-mile
route with 10 sites throughout the Beacon
Hill neighborhood, once home to the city's
50 HERITAGE & HISTORY 2023-24
largest community of African Americans,
prior to the Civil War. Groups can join a park
ranger from the National Park Service on a
90-minute tour to explore the trail. Although
many sites on the tour are private residences,
the final stops-the Abiel Smith School and
the African Meeting House-are part of
the Museum of African American History.
The two buildings have deep historic roots-
the Abiel Smith School is the oldest public
school in the U.S. built for the sole purpose
of educating African American children, and
the African Meeting House is the oldest existing
Black church building in the nation.
POWERFUL STORIES
Museums throughout the country help preserve
the African American story and legacy.
Although they might range in size, scope,
and theme, each one illuminates a different
part of Black history. While some focus
on African American identity and culture,
others zero-in on topics like civil rights,
slavery, and exemplary leaders. Some reside
in centuries-old buildings where historic
events occurred, while others were built for
the sole purpose of sharing the struggles and
triumphs of Black Americans.
At the International Civi l Rights
Center & Museum in Greensboro, North
Carolina, visitors step into history at the
actual spot where the sit-in movement began
more than 50 years ago. See the preserved
" whites-only " lunch counter where four
teenagers (known as the A&T Four) sparked
a nationwide push for equality and justice.
The museum's 35,000 square feet of exhibit
space features original artifacts, interactive
PHOTO LT/ADOBE
http://www.civilrightstrail.com
Heritage + History 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Heritage + History 2023
