Throughout history, black people have been significant contributors to enormous strides made by mankind. Sadly, due to poor record-keeping, centuries of discrimination, and the destruction of our artefacts, the history of the black race is largely blurred. However, there are a few black history sites that you should consider visiting during your lifetime. Our list comprises places that contain records of African, black, and Latin American history, culture, and memorabilia.
Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum (Ghana)
This Mausoleum is in the capital of Ghana, Accra. The Mausoleum is dedicated to the former Ghanaian President and Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah. He was a great revolutionary individual who championed Ghana (then known as the Gold Coast) to independence from British rule in 1957. He was a staunch Pan-Africanist and was the winner of the Lenin Peace prize in 1962. He died in 1972, aged 62 years, and the Mausoleum is said to house his remains and those of his wife.
Stone Town (Tanzania)
Located in Zanzibar City in Tanzania, Stone Town is the oldest part of Zanzibar. The town contains important pieces of history about Tanzania and the East African people. In the 19th Century, Stone Town was a bustling center of spice trading and slave trading. The structures and architecture found in this town date from the 19th-century showpieces and hints of mixtures of Arab, Persian, European, and even Indian influences. This town was declared a Heritage Site by UNESCO and is a huge tourist attraction in the country
Nelson Mandela Capture Site (South Africa)
This site, positioned in the KwaZulu Natal region in South Africa, was where Former South African President Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1952. The late civil rights activist was detained for his opposition to Apartheid in South Africa. The site now holds a sculptural commemoration of his face to honor him.
St. Catherine (Canada)
St. Catherine is home to numerous memorials, sculptures, and structures dedicated to Harriet Tubman. Harriet was a former African American slave born in 1822 in Dorchester County, USA, and was born into slavery. After escaping the clutches of slavery and she helped organize about 13 rescue missions to free other African and African American slaves. Leveraging on a network of trusted friends, routes, and houses popularly known as the Underground Railroad, Harriet transported slaves to places where they could be free. She was also an armed scout and a spy for the Union Army and, in her later year,
was an activist for women’s suffrage. She died in 1913, aged 91. The town of St. Catherine remembers her to this day.
Tower of Freedom Commemoration (Canada)
This Monument in Windsor, Canada, features a sculpture depicting the African Americans who traveled by the Underground Railroad organized by Harriet Tubman from America to Canada. Ed Dwight, the sculptor, donated it to the city of Windsor in 2001. Inscribed on the monument are names of former slaves and locations of safe-houses and routes of the Underground Railroad. It also depicts a Canadian flag alongside the flame of freedom.
Birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. (USA)
The late Dr. Martin Luther King was born in Atlanta in the United States of America in 1929. His childhood home in Atlanta, where he lived until he was 12 years old, is an important black history site. The building was restored to look exactly like how it was during his stay. Martin Luther King was a civil rights activist and non-violent fighter for the rights of blacks, speaking out against segregation and oppression in the United States. He organized and participated in several marches and demonstrations; notable were the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington in 1963. He gave his now-famous “I have a dream…” speech delivered on the Lincoln Memorial structure’s steps during the March on Washington demonstration. Martin Luther King Jr. was a recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.
Prudence Crandall Museum (USA)
The Prudence Crandall Museum was once the former Prudence Crandall Female Boarding School in Canterbury. The school was opened solely for white females of Caucasian origin. The school ran first from 1831 to 1833, catering to the needs of white students. The acceptance of a black female during that period created tremendous controversy and outrage. After a series of attacks on the school and its owners, the school closed temporarily in 183. That same year, Prudence Crandall established another school restricted to black and African American female students prompting another series of protests. The new school, which permanently closed in 1834, now stands as an important site for a black history tour.
DuSable Museum (USA)
The DuSable Museum in Chicago is a large museum founded in 1961 by Margaret and Charles Burroughs, Gerard Lew, and a few others to preserve and celebrate black history and culture. It was established because Black history was often ignored and neglected by scholars, academics, and museums. They felt that the resultant effect was a limited knowledge by black people of their culture and rich history. Today, it provides valuable information and resources to those interested in learning about Black history.
Motown Museum (USA)
Nicknamed “Hitsville USA,” this museum was once the headquarters of the popular Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan. The museum is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating its artists’ achievements, legacies, and the impact of their music on black culture. This musical museum features black artists such as Michael Jackson, The Supremes and Stevie Wonder, etc.
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (USA)
This museum was established in 1990 by Alfred Surratt, Phil Dixon, Horace Peterson, Buck O’Neil, and some other baseball players of the Negro League baseball. It was established to preserve, showcase, and appreciate the history of Negro League baseball, which lasted from the 1920s till its end in 1962. It features exhibitions showing the progress and rise of the league, along with accompanying pictures of players, officials, and even club owners. The museum also displays memorabilia worn by past players and legends of the game like Josh Gibson.
Little Rock Central High School (USA)
In 1927, building the Hall High school, Arkansas, cost over $1.5 million, making it the most expensive and largest high school in the United States. The opening and dedication of the school – later renamed Little Rock High in 1953 – attracted a crowd of almost 20,000 due to its publicity. Little Rock was the first high school desegregated in the US. Considered a big win for the civil rights movement, the school proudly acknowledges and memorializes its role in school integration.
Museu Afro Brasil (Brazil)
The Museu Afro Brazil is in Sao Paulo in Brazil. It is dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and researching the culture and traditions of the blacks in Brazil. Brazil consists of a black population majority, with an ancestral lineage traceable to Africa. This museum holds almost 6000 historical paintings, sculptures, and documents of the black people of Brazil from the 15th century till date. The museum, established in 2004, is a black history site worth visiting.
Café Tournon (France)
This Café Tournon of Paris was once a bubbling and popular café visited by famous African American writers and creatives for a period. Duke Ellington, Richard Wright, and various other famous black creatives once graced this café. There, they hung out discussing many things ranging from politics to art and culture. Richard Wright frequented this café so often that he referred to the café as his office.
The British Museum (United Kingdom)
The British Museum in London is one of the most popular attractions in the United Kingdom. It is a very good source of information and resources on African culture and history topics. In the museum’s possession are some of the largest and most comprehensive art collections from Africa representing indigenous people from all over the continent from Egypt to South Africa. Popular artwork displays include the Asante Goldwork from the people of Ghana, the Igbo-Ukwu bronze sculptures from Nigeria, and soapstone figurines from Zimbabwe.
African gallery (Uganda)
This gallery in Kampala features various art and artwork from various local artists. Their artworks are displayed and are for sale to interested buyers.
All these and many more black history sites exist all over the world. They help promote and educate people on the black race’s history, successes, and ordeals.