Celebrating Black History Month

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This Black History Month, travel with us as we take you on a tour of some amazing monuments and historic sites that celebrate, remember, and preserve African American heritage. Visit parks, attend an event, or simply read on to learn more about African American history across your public lands.

Visit places of struggle, community, and triumph

Harriet Tubman National Historical Parks

Maryland & New York

A bronze statue of Harriet Tubman leaning out of a boat

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park (National Park Service)

The first stop in tracing Harriet Tubman’s history is the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park along Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Born into slavery in 1822, and hired out at an early age, Harriet Tubman knew she was born to be free. In 1849, Tubman escaped to freedom. Throughout her journey, from 1850 – 1860, Tubman returned to Maryland 13 times to help about 70 enslaved persons achieve freedom.

Traveling further north, Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in New York preserves the home and church Tubman lived and worshipped in until her passing in 1913. Even in the days after the Underground Railroad, Tubman dedicated her life to assisting elderly, sick, and homeless African Americans.

Fun Fact: Very few African Americans or women have national park sites dedicated to them. Harriet Tubman has two!

African Burial Ground National Monument

New York

Sunlight reflects off the black granite Wall of Remembrance memorial

African Burial Ground National Monument (National Park Service)

African Burial Ground, a sacred space in lower Manhattan, is the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground in North America for both freed and enslaved Africans. It protects the historic role slavery played in building New York.

A variety of tours and experiences are offered seasonally, including a guided art tour and a 90-minute presentation on the history of slavery during the Dutch and British periods and the history of the African Burial Ground and its re-discovery in 1991. The Indoor Visitor Center and Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00am until 4:00pm.

You can continue your journey along the self-guided African-American Freedom Trail in lower Manhattan. This itinerary features 21 stops that document the history of African Americans in New York, from the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in 1625 to sites of the abolitionist movement, including where Frederick Douglass arrived in 1838 and achieved freedom from slavery.

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site

Washington, DC

Red brick exterior of a row house with a historical marker that reads Mary McLeod Bethune Council Ho

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site (Kelsey Graczyk, National Park Service)

Mary McLeod Bethune’s list of accomplishments is long – the first person in her family born free and formally educated; the founder of a school for African American girls, known today as Bethune-Cookman University; the founder and first president of the National Council of Negro Women; advisor to four United States presidents; and an internationally recognized leader in the struggle for civil, women's, and human rights. Today, you can tour her Council House in Washington, DC, which served as the first headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW).

While you’re taking your Black History Month tour of Washington, DC, stop by Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site. Carter G. Woodson became known as "the Father of Black History" for dedicating his life to incorporating African American history in school curricula.

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

Washington, DC

A large two-story house with flowers in bloom in the garden

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site (National Park Service)

Frederick Douglass spent his life fighting for justice and equality. Born into slavery in 1818, he escaped as a young man and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement. People everywhere still find inspiration today in his tireless struggle, brilliant words, and inclusive vision of humanity. Douglass' legacy is preserved at Cedar Hill in Washington, DC, where he lived his last 17 years.

Booker T. Washington National Monument

Virginia

View over fenced fields, trees, and reconstructed wooden buildings on a clear spring day

Booker T. Washington National Monument (Melissa Johnson, National Park Service)

Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in April 1856 on the farm of James Burroughs, located in present-day Hardy, Virginia. After emancipation, Washington desired to become educated, and through hard work and dedication, went on to establish the Tuskegee Institute for African American students in Alabama. Today, the Burroughs plantation is preserved to memorialize and interpret Booker T. Washington's life, historical contributions, and significant role in American history and to provide a focal point for continuing discussions about Washington’s legacy and the evolving context of race in American society.

Fun Fact: Booker T. Washington National Monument protects 239 acres of fields and woodlands that support a diversity of natural resources.

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site

Arkansas

The brick façade of a Southern high school illuminated by sunset

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (National Park Service)

In 1957, Little Rock Central High School was the epicenter of confrontation and a catalyst for change as the fundamental test for the United States to enforce African American civil rights following Brown v. Board of Education. Today, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site preserves the legacy of the school and surrounding points of interest. Central High School, the Commemorative Garden, and the Magnolia Mobil Gas Station are just a few of these sites.

Free, guided Ranger programs are held at 1:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday – reservations are required in advance. While access inside Central High School is not permitted, the Ranger-led programs offer an engaging walking tour that shares the story of the Little Rock Nine, desegregation, education and the civil rights movement.

New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park

Louisiana

Nine-piece jazz band performing under a tent in a courtyard

New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (Hunter Miles Davis, National Park Service)

A visit to New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park is just the start of your journey uncovering the influences, traditions, and contributions that led to the development and popularization of jazz music. Jazz is a cultural phenomenon better experienced than read about from afar – mark your calendar for a variety of concerts and events throughout February to celebrate Black History Month in a unique way.

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