Black History Month is a symbolic time to reflect on the contributions of more than 50 million Black Americans and their ancestors in shaping the United States. Across the country, numerous historic sites preserve and honor their stories. Many of these sites are part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, which spans over 100 locations in 14 states and highlights key events from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Below is a brief introduction to places in Colorado and beyond that are central to the African American story:

Fort Garland, Colorado

After the Civil War, many African American soldiers answered the government’s call to help establish permanent settlements in the West. From 1876 to 1879, Buffalo Soldiers—Black Army regiments formed to serve on the American frontier—were stationed at Fort Garland, Colorado. Today, it’s where the Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center showcases their legacy through photos and artifacts.

if you go...

Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center

29477 CO-159, Fort Garland, CO 81133 | 719-379-3512

historycolorado.org/fort-garland-museum-cultural-center

Dearfield, Colorado

Located about 25 minutes southeast of Greeley, the Dearfield farming community in Weld County is Colorado’s last remaining example of the Black colonization movement inspired by Booker T. Washington. One of 14 rural towns established in the west, Dearfield offered African Americans the chance to own and cultivate their own land. A few deserted buildings remain in Dearfield. In 1995, the town was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A 2010 monument next to one of the remaining buildings contains historical information about the site.

if you go...

Homestead National Historical Park

nps.gov/places/dearfield-colorado.htm

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta was home to many leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park features key sites from King’s life and work. Tragically, King was assassinated in 1968 at the Lorraine Motel while speaking with the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Washington, DC

Music exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC

The nation’s capital is rich in museums that highlight the roles Black Americans played in U.S. history. The National Museum of African American History and Culture, part of the Smithsonian Institution, features a collection of more than 40,000 artifacts. The building itself adds to the experience—an inverted step pyramid encased in a bronze mesh-like material which is reminiscent of crowns used in the culture of the Yoruba—one of the largest ethnic groups of Nigeria.

if you go...

The National Museum of African American History and Culture

1400 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560

844-750-3012 | nmaahc.si.edu

Detroit, Michigan

A life-size reproduction of a slave ship is just one of the many exhibits at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit

Detroit holds a significant place in African American history as one of the largest hiding places on the Underground Railroad. The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History features exhibits like a life-size reproduction of a slave ship and displays honoring Black inventors. Named after Dr. Charles H. Wright, a physician who founded the museum, it serves as a repository for African American history.

if you go...

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit, MI 48201 | 313-494-5800 | thewright.org

Winchester, Virginia

Winchester offers a window into Civil War history. Interactive displays at the Winchester-Frederick County Visitors Center guide visitors to historic sites, including the Star Fort, built by Union troops in 1863. Stonewall Jackson’s former headquarters houses personal artifacts, such as his prayer table and initialed prayer book.

if you go...

Winchester-Frederick County Visitors Center

1400 S. Pleasant Valley Road, Winchester, VA 22601

540-542-1326 | visitwinchesterva.com/visitor-center

HARRIET TUBMAN

The Harriet Tubman Museum in Cape May, NJ

No discussion of Black heroes is complete without Harriet Tubman, the abolitionist who escaped slavery and led dozens of enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, Tubman served as a cook, nurse, armed scout and spy for the Union Army. 

In 1863, she led an expedition of African American soldiers in South Carolina, freeing more than 750 enslaved people. She was the first woman to lead an armed military operation in the U.S.

Sites honoring Tubman’s legacy include the Harriet Tubman Museum in Cape May, New Jersey, which features African masks, shackles used on enslaved people, and vintage photographs. The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Church Creek, Maryland, marks her early years and is located on a 125-mile byway that connects several heritage sites. 

if you go...

Harriet Tubman Museum

632 Lafayette St., Cape May, NJ 08204

harriettubmanmuseum.org

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park

4068 Golden Hill Road, Church Creek, MD 21622 | 410-221-2290| nps.gov/hatu