Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/22095
PENNSYLVANIA After watching the Underground Railroad re-enactment at Lancaster’s Bethel AME Church, called “Living the Experience,” you can enjoy an authentic 1800’s meal. The city also offers an Underground Railroad tour. Since you’ll be in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, you can also explore the area’sAmish heritage on a visit to anAmish farm or the Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum. Pittsburgh offers a wealth of African-American historical and cultural attractions, including Bethel AME, the city’s old- est African-American congregation; the August Wilson Center for African American Culture; the Kuntu Theatre, which showcases the works of African-American playwrights; and the John C. Peck Oyster House, a former Underground Railroad Station. Reading is the site of the Central Pennsylvania African American Museum, housed in a church that once served as an Underground Railroad station. Two other notable attractions are the Berks County Wine Trail and the Genesius Theatre. HERSHEY Hershey is the site of Pennsylvania’s state’s largest con- vention resort. The convention center atHershey Lodge con- tainsmore than 100,000 sq. ft. of space in the convention cen- ter, including three ballrooms and 35 meeting rooms. For a unique offsite event venue,The Hershey Story,The Museum on Chocolate Avenue, houses exhibits chronicling the life ofMilton S.Hershey,while guests can take part in the hands-on Chocolate Lab and the Countries of Origin Chocolate Tasting. Other local attractions offering space for meetings and other events include the Fort Hunter Mansion and Park and theAntiqueAutoMuseum,which can hold up to 600 people for receptions. free samples included on the tour; Dutch Wonderland, designed especially for the under-12 set; and Hershey Gardens, where an outdoor Butterfly House and more than 23 acres of horticultural displays are waiting to be explored. The grownups might enjoy an evening play or concert at the historic Hershey Theatre. PHILADELPHIA Iconic sites like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are definite must-sees for any first-time visitor to the City of Brotherly Love. But you could easily fill up a convention’s free-time itinerary with Philadelphia’s numerous African- American heritage attractions.Mother BethelAME Church, with the crypt of founder RichardAllen housed in the onsite museum, is one of the best-known sites. There’s also the AfricanAmericanMuseumin Philadelphia,which showcases fine arts, textiles, archeological exhibits, and the Philadelphia Doll Museum’s extensive Black doll collection. Historic homes like the Paul Robeson House, the Marian Anderson and the Johnson House, an Underground Railroad stop in Germantown, are part of the list, too. Photo Credit: CJMcKendry The Liberty Bell Wide angle shot of a tulip bed in the Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA Family reunion groups and meeting delegates traveling with kids can have a fun outing at Hersheypark, enjoy the rides, boardwalk and live entertainment. The adjacent ZooAmerica is included in admission to the park.Other kid- friendly attractions include Hershey’s ChocolateWorld, with 46 Photo Credit: Philadelphia CVB For a broader view of themovement to aid fugitive slaves, you can visit the Civil War and Underground Railroad Museum of Philadelphia, while a new project called the President’s House Commemorative Site pays tribute to the nine slaveswhoworked atGeorgeWashington’s Philadelphia home.African-Americanswho served in themilitary are hon- Black Meetings & Tourism November/December 2010: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com