Nestled quietly in the remote San Juan Valley of the southeastern quadrant of Colorado is Fort Garland. It’s a stone’s throw from the Great Sands Dunes which is a widely visited part of the National Parks Service. Coincidentally, when the Buffalo Soldiers lived at Fort Garland they also patrolled the Great Sand Dunes area from 1876-1879.So be sure to add Fort Garland as the two sites are only 26 miles apart. These two nearby landmarks are forever entangled in the history of this African American military unit.   The “Buffalo Soldiers” were created by an Act of Congress in 1866. F ..read more

Zuni,NM Who was the very first documented African American? The answer to the question is debatable and open to scrutiny. One name that is often quietly circulated in historical circles: Esteban de Dorantes (Esteban the Moor). In order to write this piece my travels have taken me to a Native American reservation called Zuni Pueblo in western New Mexico. I’ve hired a Zuni guide to help me explore the ancient ruins of Hawikuh. This is where Esteban the Moor meets his untimely death. It’s an interesting story!   Esteban the Moor was born in 1500 in Morocco as Mustafa Azemmour. Little is kno ..read more

Welcome sign. 16th Street Baptist Church. Birmingham, AL. Birmingham is a city in transition. This city in northern Alabama; approximately two hours west of Atlanta.It touts one of many millennial HBCU mayors in America, Randall Woodfin . Birmingham’s past as a racial hotspot still lingers however. A city so violent it would be nicknamed “Bombingham” during the height of racial strife.Many of the most traumatic images to exit the Civil RIghts Movement seem to have origins here. The fire hoses. The vicious German Shepard police dogs. The bodies of four little girls in a blown up church ba ..read more

How do you follow the trail of a seventeenth century warrior queen? With a tour guide of course. Even as a native of Jamaica I needed a little help to find Queen Nanny. That’s where our tour guide, Maurice Lee of Kromanti Experience comes into play. Here are the highlights of Kromanti Experience’s’ Maroon State Tour. Pumpkin/LookOut Hill     Start your tour at the outskirts of Mooretown (New Nanny Town). There you will witness two twin peaks; Pumpkin and LookOut Hill. I don’t want to give away the meanings of the names. Save it for your tour. Let’s just say one was important ..read more

South Carolina’s history hasn’t always been charming. The ghosts of its past as the chief slave trading port persists still. Nearly half of all enslaved Africans to reach American shores were processed through the city of Charleston. What has sprung out of this ugly history are places that tell a story. Let’s give you a few of our favorites in and around South Carolina’s Low Country pearl. Old Slave Mart, 12 Chalmers Avenue, Charleston,SC 29401 A very careful interpretation of the American slave trade in a former slave auctioning house. The words “MART” still hang above t ..read more

In the words of the illustrious anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston,“ You gotsta go there to know there,” This would describe the experience of the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail! This historical pathway is designated by the National Parks Service as a National Scenic Byway/All American Road. Although the original participants walked the fifty-four mile over a span of  five days. This trail nowadays is best experienced as a drive taking three-six hours roundtrip. It’s more likely that you will be leaving from Montgomery and heading towards Selma. The Selma to Montgomery Na ..read more

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, 1616 Chappie James Ave., Tuskegee, AL 36083 This National Park Service historic site is a must see! It’s right off the turnoff to Tuskegee on Interstate 75. The introductory video at the Visitor’s Center is a good place to start. Don’t forget to pick up a site map. There are multiple buildings on site to view exhibits. Moton Field where the park is located is still a viable airstrip. Don’t be surprised to see small non commercial planes taking off and landing. Stopping here is the needed primer to start your tour of historic Tuskegee. For more infor ..read more