African-American Heritage Tour
4-6 hours (depending on itinerary)
Enjoy learning about important contributions made by African Americans of this great city.
The tour will travel by chauffeured transportation to several different sections of town, led by a licensed professional guide who will tell of the history of slavery, civil rights, and the plight of African Americans. Along the way, one will hear about Benjamin Banneker, Phillip Reed, Frederick Douglass, Duke Ellington, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Height, Mary McLeod Bethune, and others.
Participants will have the opportunity to walk down historic U Street to capture the memory of a place referred to as “Black Broadway” due to its many theaters, nightclubs, and ballrooms frequented by jazz greats, including Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Jelly Roll Morton, and Duke Ellington (who grew up in the neighborhood). U Street was once the largest African-American community in the country until Harlem surpassed it in the 1920s. Guests will also visit the African American Civil War Memorial, which lists the 209,000 African-American Troops and sailors who died during the Civil War.
On the National Mall stands the newly dedicated Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial (2011), which will be an important stop on the tour. Guests will follow in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as they stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and remember where he delivered his “I have a dream” speech in presence of over 200,000 freedom marchers, and where more recently a crowd just as impressive celebrated the inaugural of the first African American to become the President of the United States.
The 6-hour version of the tour will stop at Cedar Hill, the home of Frederick Douglass, a social reformer, orator, and writer who, after escaping from slavery, became a leader of the abolitionist movement. Now called the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, the home is managed by the National Park Service (NPS). Inside the home, the guests will participate in a guided tour offered by the NPS, and will have the opportunity to watch a short film on the life of Frederick Douglass in the visitor’s center. The view of the city from Cedar Hill is magnificent. Throughout their visit, guests will learn about Douglass’ efforts to abolish slavery and his struggle for rights for all oppressed people.
Please contact us for more information about this tour and how it can be customized (or personalized) to suit your needs.
