African Americans currently compose about 60% of the District's population, but have long made their home in the nation's capital, richly contributing to the District's history, culture, personality, and identity. African-American museums, monuments, memorials, musical venues, and other landmarks all over town herald their achievements, individually or as a group. Naturally, all of this makes D.C. a compelling destination for African Americans or anyone interested in their culture. From the Smithsonian Anacostia Neighborhood Museum and Center for African American History and Culture; to Benjamin Banneker Park; to the jazz clubs along U Street, where Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway once catted; to the African-American Civil War Memorial and Museum; to the Mary McLeod Bethune House, Washington's black-American heritage is here to discover. Check out the Washington Convention and Tourism Corporation's website, www.washington.org, and peruse its calendar for annual events, like the Black Family Reunion in September and the Black History Month activities in February. Browse the Cultural Tourism DC website, www.culturaltourismdc.org, to review its database of 98 sites on the African American Heritage Trail. (You can also order a copy of the booklet or find out where in Washington you can pick one up free.) The Cultural Tourism DC site lists guided tours that follow an African-American theme, for instance the Black Broadway tour of U Street, but you can also create your own tour with the information provided. Coming in 2008: the dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial on the National Mall.
For sources outside of Washington, you might go to Black Travel Online (www.blacktravelonline.com), which posts news on upcoming events and includes links to articles and travel-booking sites. Soul of America (www.soulofamerica.com) is a comprehensive website, with travel tips, event and family-reunion postings, and sections on historically black beach resorts and active vacations.
Agencies and organizations that provide resources for black travelers include Rodgers Travel (tel. 800/825-1775; www.rodgerstravel.com) and the African American Association of Innkeepers International (tel. 877/422-5777; www.africanamericaninns.com).
