African American Heritage Tour

Trace the journey of African Americans, and explore their impact both nationally and internationally. This two-hour walking tour, offered in partnership with the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation and named a “Heritage Award Winner” by the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area, starts at Market House Park across from Annapolis City Dock, where slave ships entered 300 years ago. The Alex Haley statue that marks the significance of the author of Roots and the journey of his ancestor Kunta Kinte is featured. Symbolically, the stroll continues uphill through local history to the State House and the statue of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Hear of famous Marylanders, such as Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. Your period-attired guide will highlight the importance of the Underground Railroad in the Chesapeake Bay region. During colonial times, the labor of both the enslaved and free blacks was the cornerstone upon which the tobacco economy was built. In the 19th century, Maryland was home to more free African Americans than any other state. Presently, Maryland continues to grow because of the important contributions made by her African American residents. The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation receives 20% of the proceeds.