Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/875351
25 B M & T ••• January/February 2017 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com WASHINGTON, DC If you're interested in learning about DC's African- American heritage, start your exploration at the recently opened Smithsonian National Museum Of African American History & Culture. The stunning new building, which prominently sits between The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, features three tiers of inverted half-pyramids, sheathed in a shimmering bronze-hue screen cut in an abstract pattern based on the intricate ironwork created by freed slaves in New Orleans and Charleston, S.C. Approximately 37,000 artifacts have been acquired by the museum's 18 curators, including Nat Turner's Bible; Emmet Till's original casket; Harriet Tubman's shawl; and a vintage open-cockpit biplane used to train Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. Follow this up with a visit to the Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Community Museum. Located in a historic African-American neighborhood southeast of the Capitol, the museum houses a collection of approximately 6,000 objects dating back to the early 1800s. The history of this neighborhood — home to orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass — is explored throughout the museum. After you've visited the Anacostia Community Museum, drop by the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, located at his home, Cedar Hill. When Douglass bought the nine-acre estate, he became the first African-American to buy a home in the Old Anacostia neighborhood. Tour the 21-room Victorian mansion or take part in a program to learn about Douglass' efforts to abolish slavery. Set high in the hills, the house and its grounds also open up onto one of the most breathtaking views of the city. The Prince George's African American Museum's story begins in 1991 with the foundation of the North Brentwood Historical Society. The historical society undertook the creation of an oral history project and exhibit entitled "Footsteps from North Brentwood," which documented and celebrated the rich cultural heritage of the first municipality in Prince George's County incorpo- rated by African Americans. With beautiful granite, limestone and dramatic 100-ft. curved glass entry, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center is an outstanding architectural and cultural treas- ure in a city that already harbors so many remarkable buildings. The Convention Center is located between two of the most fascinating neighborhoods in Washington, DC: the historic Arts District/U Street/Shaw district and the revitalized Downtown/Penn Quarter/Chinatown district. The Center contains, 2.3 million total sq. ft. with more than 700,000 sq. ft. of prime exhibit space with 30-ft. columns on 90-ft. centers as well as 198,000 sq. ft. of meet- ing space and 77 meeting rooms. Ideally located on the Georgetown University campus, another option is the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center with meeting rooms that feature all the necessary technology and amenities required for a suc- cessful meeting or event. This venue is equipped with 14 meeting rooms and a total meeting space of 13,500 sq. ft. DC's award-winning hotels are as well known for their attentive service as for their must-have amenities. With nearly 30,000 hotel rooms in the city, there's a style and price point for every visitor. The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and the Washington Dulles International Airport all provide both national and international flights to the Washington DC/Baltimore area. For more information contact Destination DC at (800) 635-MEET or www.washington.org. PHILADELPHIA, P A Philadelphia is known as a city of firsts, boasting not only the first hospital and library but also many of the first contributions to African-American history in the U.S. including the first African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and the first African-American newspaper, The Philadelphia Tribune(ei). This rich historic backdrop makes it the perfect destination for any gathering. Planning a meeting, convention or family reunion in the city is a breeze with the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB). Going beyond assisting planners with dates, rates and space, the city's focus on helping connect event planners to the destination's local knowledge assets also sets it apart. Through the PHLCVB's business develop- ment divisions, like PHLDiversity which was pioneered 30 years ago as the first multicultural arm of a CVB, planners can be connected with resources and access to institutions, corporations and other industry leads to help with atten- dance-building, growing sponsorship opportunities, site selec- tion, programming, speakers and more. Having successfully hosted the 2016 Democratic National Visitor viewing items on display on opening day of the Smithsonian National Museum Of African American History & Culture. Opening day Photo Credit: Valerie Myers