Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/10149
Much of the history of African-Americans in Baltimore, MD is not widely known. In 1860, there were more free African-Americans living in Maryland than any other state. The city has been home to many “free- dom fighters” that chose liberty, transformation and human rights over comfort and personal security. Frederick Douglass moved to Baltimore City as an 8- year-old boy. Douglass maintained an unshakable belief that no man had the right to “own” him, in mind, body or spirit. His convictions propelled him to become an abolitionist, publisher, writer, orator and great American thinker. A statue of Frederick Douglass stands at Morgan State University. If you’re in the city during the summer months, be sure to take the Frederick Douglass “Path to Freedom” Walking Tour. Another great American, Thurgood Marshall, born and raised in West Baltimore, became America’s first African- American Supreme Court Justice in 1967. Prior to this, Marshall led the legal team that won Brown v. The Board of Education, the landmark 1954 Supreme Court case that marked the end of legal segregation in America’s schools. Visitors can schedule a tour of the NAACP’s National Headquarters in Baltimore, and view a life-size replica of Marshall at the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum. While in Baltimore, you can visit the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum, a tribute to Babe Ruth and baseball including great memorabilia, history and exhibits on the Negro Leagues. The Leon Day Park is named for Leon Day, the 12th player from the Negro Leagues to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Leon Day Park is one of eight parks connected by Gwynns Falls Trail, Baltimore’s 15-mile hiking and biking trail. The Maryland Historical Society houses an impres- sive collection of archives and art where one can journey into Maryland’s past to see the work of African- American artists, and tributes to African-American activists and leaders in Maryland history. At the Star- Spangled Banner Flag House, along the Baltimore Heritage Walk, enjoy exhibits and guided tours about flag maker Mary Pickersgill and young Grace Wisher, the African-American girl who worked for Pickersgill when she sewed the famous flag that inspired America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Baltimore is also home to the largest African- American museum on the East Coast. Designated a Smithsonian Affiliate. The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture includes a 200-seat theater, an oral history studio, class- rooms and spacious exhibition space. The museum’s striking architecture is an expression of Maryland’s African-American spirit — one of beauty, grace, strength and power. Its physical location has historical significance as well. The museum’s entrance faces what was once a pre-Civil War slave market; a somber yet inspirational reminder of our history and our survival. Did you know that the first Black-owned McDonald’s is in Cleveland, OH? In 1969 an African-American Senior Advisor Carl Westmoreland during a lecure on the slave pen of the south. attempted to purchase this restaurant, but was denied due to racial bias; that lead to a community-wide boycott of McDonald’s in Cleveland; the successful boycott caused business owners to sell McDonald’s franchises to Blacks nationwide as well as in Cleveland. Cincinnati, OH was a major hub on the Underground Railroad in the 1800s and served as an important refuge for thousands fleeing slavery. Today, the National Underground Freedom Center is a symbol of enduring freedom. The Center offers interactive educational programs to promote an understanding of slavery and the resistance movements, including movies and donation details. Situated in Cincinnati, the center highlights the struggles of slavery, from a historic standpoint as well as in our modern day. Through the ongo- ing work of the Freedom Center, modern slavery is exposed. The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center near Dayton, OH aims to educate the public about African-American history and culture from African origins to the present through a variety of programs. One Featured Exhibit is The Journey of Hope in America: Quilts Inspired By Barack Obama. On exhibit from December 18, 2009 through December 18, 2010, this exhibition features 90 quilts commemorating a milestone in American history – the election of an African-American as commander in chief of the most powerful nation on earth. For more fun and exciting multicultural events and locations to travel to and throughout Ohio, visit dis- coverohio.com/multicultural. Black Meetings & Tourism March/April 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 61