January 19, 2010

Two Cities Perfect for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

This post is late, except that it’s never too late to celebrate the man who brought us, “I have a dream.” It’s never a bad time to acknowledge his amazing contributions. And his life is always a perfect thing to showcase in black history tours, which are always a great choice for student travel – February or not. In that spirit, here are two great cities for black history tours with special tributes to the King himself and his beautiful inspiration.

Atlanta

It’s the city of his birth and therefore a great place to begin. Here you can visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic site and the African-American Heritage Tour, which features many historic sites, including those dedicated to King. See where he was born, where he lived and worked, where he experienced a positive upbringing and a difficult era – each working together to develop the man who helped to change a nation.

Atlanta has plenty of other sites to make it worth your time as well. This southern metropolis offers the CNN Studios, the World of Coca Cola, and Underground Atlanta – a popular shopping district and Atlanta neighborhood. And another good stop for black history tours is the APEX Museum, shining a light on African-American culture, its role, and its prominent contribution to our society.

Washington D.C.

Perhaps in black-and-white it seems cliche to suggest for black history tours the city where Martin Luther King, Jr., actually marched and gave his famous, inspiring speech that gave us all a dream. But a few steps into the vibrant, educational and fully fascinating city that is our nation’s capital and you will never find it cliche again.

The famous “I have a dream” words were spoken at the Lincoln Memorial, which is just one part of the National Mall and a definite must for D.C. tours. Inspiring day or night, they will leave you truly awestruck when illuminated after dark.

The Frederick Douglas National Historic Site is another great one for black history tours. An escaped slave, Douglas spent the remainder of his life educating Americans on the horrors of slavery. He is known as one of the first great black speakers on American soil. This memorial pays tribute to Douglas as the prominent American he was.

The Mary McLeod Bethune House celebrates another great contributer to the civil rights movement. In 1932 she founded the Council of Negro Women. That’s only one small part of her efforts, and this memorial captures many more.

Other D.C. attractions perfect for black history tours include the Smithsonian’s Museum of African Art, the African-American Civil War Museum, and the Anacostia Museum & Center for African-American History and Culture. Washington D.C. is a city filled with amazing attractions; these are just to name a few. It’s a great city for student tours of any kind and perfect for themes in black history.

Photo by BlatantNews.com on Flickr.

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