Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1468083
B M & T ••• May/June 2022 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 35 MEMPHIS Perched high on a bluff overlooking the mighty and powerful Mississippi River, Memphis marches to the beat of the Blues, of Stax-era Soul, of the countless neighbor- hood barbeque shacks and the King's own Graceland. There's no better place to host your convention or meet- ing than Memphis. From musical landmarks to upscale restaurants run by some of the country's hottest chefs, from the elegant hotels to the mystical nightclubs on leg- endary Beale Street, there's just something authentic about Memphis, the "Home of the Blues, and Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll." With the recent $200M modernization of Memphis' Renasant Convention Center, planners and groups will discover a meeting and event facility as unique as the city that surrounds it The Renasant Convention Center fea- tures a column-free 118,000-sq. ft. main exhibit hall, a new exterior concourse and pre-function space, 46 break- out rooms, the largest in the region, and a 28,000-sq. ft. ballroom to host smaller events. The facility's renovation, completed in 2020, also includes public art, and digital wayfinding, and additional loading docks for easier load in and load out. In a city so influenced by African-Americans, it's no wonder that heritage is strongly embraced and celebrated here. The Beale Street Music Festival is part of the month-long Memphis in May International Festival, but you should make a point to visit the historic entertain- ment district no matter when you go. Memphis famous Beale Street V Virginia's oldest museum is found on the campus of the historically Black Hampton University. Hampton's Virginia Air & Space Center includes an exhibit on Tuskegee Airmen, and there is more history to explore at the Hampton History VIRGINIA BEACH Virginia Beach has been a top draw for African Americans for decades. It's the spring break destination of choice for many HBCU college students in the state and across the country. It's also one of Black America's top fam- ily reunion locales. It's all about sand, surf and outdoor fun in Virginia Beach and its thriving beach community. The 35-miles of coastline and expansive beaches means there's room for everyone. The 3.3- mile boardwalk along Resort Beach offers a park-like atmos- phere perfect for strolling biking, running or roller-blading. Entertainment is offered nightly during the summer months with oceanfront stages at 7th, 17th, 24th and 31st Streets. The Virginia Legends Walk is one of the top historical attractions with tributes to Ella Fitzgerald, Arthur Ashe, Booker T. Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Edgar Allen Poe. Virginia Beach Convention Center Top Nashville attractions include the Opry Mills shopping center, the American Negro Playwright Theatre, Belle Meade Plantation, Fisk University, and the Civil Rights Room, inspired by the sit-ins of the 1960s and located in the Downtown Public Library. Museum, the Mariners' Museum and the Casemate Museum at Fort Monroe. In the capital city of Richmond, some of the most signifi- cant Black heritage sites are in Jackson Ward. Visitors to this historic neighborhood can tour the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia and view a statue of Richmond native Bill "Bojangles" Robinson that stands next to city's first traffic light, a gift from the entertainer. A Gallery Walk at the Virginia Historical Society features exhibits on the Civil Rights Movement and the role of African- Americans in the Civil War. Norfolk celebrates the rich ethnic diversity of its popula- tion with sights, sounds, attractions and special events that pay tribute to the city's long multicultural heritage. Fun-filled festivals on the downtown waterfront offer up the music, art and culinary delights of the city's diverse Asian-American, African-American, Pacific Island, and Latin American com- munities, while the traditions of the region's first citizens – Virginia's Native American tribes – are celebrated through numerous exhibits and festivals throughout Hampton Roads. The list of recreational and sightseeing attractions in the Commonwealth includes Hampton's Buckroe Beach, Shenandoah National Park, Luray Caverns and the 343-mile Virginia Creeper Trail.