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. For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
