Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544721
B M & T ••• May/June 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 45 Center or a walk through historic African American neighbor- hoods for a more immersive and enriched experience. But Raleigh knows how to balance the load with lightness. An evening might feature a performance at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts or a First Friday out- ing through downtown galleries. Dining can include Ethiopian and Eritrean recipes at Awaze Cuisine, or a posh night at ORO Restaurant & Lounge. When it's time to reset, Dorothea Dix Park and the North Carolina Museum of Art's Museum Park offer space to breathe. SOUTH CAROLINA South Carolina is felt in salt air drifting across the Lowcountry, gospel notes rising from historic sanctuaries, and stories living in the land as much as in its museums. Here, your experience moves fluidly between reflection and celebration. In Charleston, the legacy of Gadsden's Wharf and the International African American Museum promotes a deeper understanding of the past, while Columbia's HBCU campuses and cultural festivals carry that legacy forward with energy and pride. Upstate in Greenville, walkable streets and emerging Black arts experiences add a contemporary rhythm to the jour- ney. Along the coast, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island open the door to multigenerational travel—days shaped by sun and water, evenings rooted in Gullah Geechee traditions, fresh seafood, and music that lingers. Meetings and gatherings feel equally intentional, supported by accessible convention spaces, welcoming hotels, and neighborhoods designed for connection. In South Carolina, you engage, remember, and celebrate. And each destination deepens the story in its own distinct way. CHARLESTON Begin where the story lands hardest—at the International African American Museum, set on Gadsden's Wharf, where your group moves through galleries and into the African Ancestors Memorial Garden, carrying that experience into the rest of the city. Pair it with an afternoon rooted in place: a Gullah-guided tour or a walk through the historic East Side, followed by a soul food-done-Geechie style dinner at Hannibal's Kitchen. For meetings, the Charleston Area Convention Center cam- pus gives you flexibility for conferences and reunions, with nearby stays like Embassy Suites by Hilton Charleston Airport Charleston Place Hotel