6 Standout Black History Tours in the U.S., from California to Charleston – Cond Nast Traveler

Charleston doesnt often give credit to the Black people who built it; its slowly getting better, but I make sure to honor them, Williams says. The tour sites can change once Williams has a conversation with guests and gets a feel of what they are interested in learning. This is a very interactive tour. You can just listen, or you can ask questions and even debate me, if needed. In April, Williams will also begin offering a riding tour as a way to visit additional sites that are farther out from the downtown Charleston area.

Harlem NY

Type: Walking

Duration: Varies

Launched in 1998 by Harlem native Neal Shoemaker, Harlem Walking Tours offers several tour options, including a Harlem Renaissance Multimedia Walking Tour that explores venues and sites that were instrumental to the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. The two-hour tour starts at the Schomburg Center for Research; guides bring the tour to life with sound and video equipment as you walk the same sidewalks as Black icons like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and more. There is also a Harlem Gospel Toura three-hour walking tour that explores the impact that gospel music and the church have had on Harlem over the decades. All tours are conducted by a Harlem native.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Type: Walking, bus, and virtual options

Duration: Varies

For over 20 years, KB Tours has provided walking, bus, and more recently, virtual tours in the Washington, D.C. area. The daily African American Heritage Tour starts at the Navy Memorial on 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue and makes stops at the Frederick Douglass House, Howard University, and the historic neighborhoods of Shaw, Anacostia, and LeDroit Park. Afterward, guests are encouraged to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture (the museum offers free admission, with timed-entry passes).

If people like to go off the beaten path, ours is the tour to go on, KB Tours owner Kenny Burns says. Participants will need to allot four hours for the African American Heritage tour; additional, shorter options include a series of 90-minute virtual tours. Theres also a four-hour African American History at Night tour, which starts at 7:00 pm. For those who may be visiting D.C. with a large group, or even for a family reunion, KB Tours offers private options, too.

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6 Standout Black History Tours in the U.S., from California to Charleston - Cond Nast Traveler