Black History trips to Atlanta

AM: - Center for Civil and Human Rights

Kick off your Black History month itinerary with a visit to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta. To make the most of it we recommend spending around 2-3 hours exploring the exhibitions. The exhibits are interactive and give a great overview of important moments within the Civil Rights Movement and Atlanta's past. Visiting the center first will help give context to the other historical sites you will visit on your trip.

PM: Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

The Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site includes a few locations:

Martin Luther King Jr's birth home - Visit the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Ebenezer Baptist Church - Martin Luther King was baptised here as a child, ordained as a minister, and eventually became a co-pastor here with his father. Upon his death in 1968, Dr. King's funeral was held here.

The King Center - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and his wife Coretta Scott King's tombs are both at the King Center. Here you can pay your respects to them both, view the Eternal Flame, and browse exhibits on nonviolent social change.

After visiting these locations you can enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Atlanta.

AM - Coach to Montgomery

Take a coach trip to Montgomery, Alabama, about 2hrs south of Atlanta. Here you will have the chance to visit the historical site of the Montgomery Bus Boycott at the Rosa Parks Museum.

PM - National Voting Rights Museum

In the afternoon you will visit the nearby National Voting Rights Museum & Institute in Selma, and stop at the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge, where around 600 civil rights marchers were attacked on Bloody Sunday, 7th March 1965.

You will return to Atlanta later that evening, and have dinner en route

AM - Tour the APEX Museum

The African American Panoramic Experience museum tells history from a Black perspective. Here you will learn more about the history of Auburn Avenue and stories from the African diaspora- including the slave trade, Atlanta's political history, and African exhibits. The APEX museum is Atlanta's oldest Black history museum.

PM - Lunch at the Municipal Market

Located in the Sweet Auburn Historic District, visit the Municipal Market (also known as "Curb Market") for a delicious bite to eat. From baked goods and sweets to savoury finds, it's the perfect stop to buy lunch from independently-owned businesses. The building has been open since the 1920's and the market has been in operation since 1918. Whilst the food may pique your interest, be sure to acknowledge the Sweet Auburn Curb Market's history.

After lunch you can visit the John Lewis Hero Mural. The late congressman, John Lewis, was a notable change-maker and activist whose civil rights legacy and beyond left a lasting legacy in the US. On August 28th 1963 he addressed the march in Washington. He was speaker number six, Martin Luther King was number ten. You can find his mural, along with a John Lewis quote from his speech that day in Washington located alongside Auburn Avenue close to the other street murals

AM - Tour of the Tyler Perry Studios

Acquired by world famous movie producer, and member of the Black entertainment elite, Tyler Perry in 2015, the 330 acre lot is located in the heart of Atlanta on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base. The major motion picture studio, one of the largest production facilities in the country, showcases forty buildings on the national Register of Historic Places, twelve purpose built sound stages and 200 acres of greenspace and diverse backlot.

PM - Return to the UK

It is time to head to the airport to catch the over night flight back to the UK.