5 Places To Visit In The United States For Black Culture

Over the years, black people have made significant contributions to the arts, culture, and history of the United States. Historic houses, museums, and restaurants around the country recount their tales. When we travel or go about our daily lives in our own cities, we may be completely unaware of the existence of a black culture. This is something I’ve realized: black history is always there, no matter where one goes. Consider taking a vacation to one of these five cities to have a better understanding of and experience with black culture and history.

Kansas City is a city in the United States

I’ll admit that I’m a bit prejudiced in this regard. But believe me when I say that Kansas City is awash with black culture and history. The most convenient starting point for your excursion is the historic 18th and Vine area. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which is housed in the same building as the American Jazz Museum, was founded in 1990 by a group of former baseball players who wanted to preserve their history. Photographs and interactive displays detailing some of the most well-known black baseball players, including Buck O’Neill and Jackie Robinson, may be seen at the Museum of Black History.

To hear a live band, attend a poetry open-mic, or have some food, you may stroll next door to the Blue Room, which is close to the eateries. This neighborhood is also home to The Call, a black weekly newspaper that was established in 1919. It is still a mainstay in almost every black home in Kansas City, and it has been for generations.

Knowing someone from Kansas City means you already know that we don’t speak about our BBQ. The amicable rivalry between Arthur Bryant’s and Gates Bar-B-Q has persisted for decades and is still going strong. It’s true that you can’t go wrong with any one of these picks.

New York is the capital of the United States.

I was completely unaware that New York City was home to a Museum of Food and Drink. It is an exhibit devoted to the African American contribution to culinary culture over the course of American history. The museum assists visitors in tracing the migration of people, food, and culinary expertise from Africa to the Americas and across the United States. Knowing

The fact that some of my favorite authors, like Langston Hughes, Nella Larsen, and Zora Neale Hurston, were involved in the Harlem Renaissance movement just increases my desire to visit the city and absorb up the culture.

It seems that Harlem’s black culture and tradition are limitless, ranging from soul food restaurants such as Melba’s and Sylvia’s to the famed Apollo Theater. Harlem Week, which takes place in August but is only available online for the time being, is a citywide celebration. Sharing the culture and history of Harlem via seminars, conferences, cuisine, and music are all part of the plan. Interested?

Memphis

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed in the Lorraine Hotel, which is located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is currently known as the National Civil Rights Museum, which takes visitors on a journey through five centuries of American history. There’s a reproduction of the bus that Rosa Parks rode in, as well as a notebook with Dr. King’s writings and clothing that he wore during his speech. I had the pleasure of visiting there many years ago, and it was an absolutely amazing experience. It’s an emotional experience to stand in the same area where Dr. King was assassinated and see the hotel room where he slept.

Memphis is also home to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and it would be remiss not to include the historic district of Beale Street. This area is full with jazz and blues clubs, as well as restaurants and other establishments.

Atlanta

Atlanta was dubbed the “Black Mecca of the South” by Ebony magazine in 1971 because “black people have more, live better, do more, and interact with whites more successfully than they do anyplace else in the South or the North,” according to the magazine.

When I first arrived in Atlanta, my friends drove me to the King Center, which contains the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. birth house as well as the famous Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he spoke. It was a moving experience. At the Center for Civil and Human Rights, there are a number of different displays. You could easily spend an entire day exploring this historic district and yet not see everything.

You’ll also want to check out the Atlanta University Center, which is comprised of Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, Morris Brown University, and Spelman College, all of which are located within a few miles of one other in the West End of Atlanta. When you see these historically black institutions, it is a breath of fresh air.

The capital of the United States is Washington, D.C.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is one of the destinations on my list of places to visit for this year. They have reopened after being closed due to the epidemic, and I can’t wait to see them again. It is the only museum in the world that is solely dedicated to the history, culture, and lives of African Americans. The museum has amassed a collection of more than 36,000 objects to date.

I’m also looking forward to seeing Fredrick Douglass’ historic home and U Street, which was once known as “Black Broadway,” among other places. This neighborhood, which precedes Harlem as one of the cradles of black art and culture, was really established before Harlem.