black history tours in charleston sc

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Black History Tours Of Charleston

Charleston’s African-American history is rich and varied, and a knowledge of this half of the city’s past is vital to a full understanding of Charleston and the lowcountry.

Several walking tours, mostly offered by general-interest tour companies, offer an overview of Charleston’s Black history as seen from downtown, focused on African-American people’s lives while enslaved and in freedom.

For a more expansive view of the area’s Black history and culture, take one of the bus tours offered by one of the local companies specializing in African-American and Gullah history. These can cover a wider array of sights than a walking tour, and some include a look into the history and culture of the communities on Charleston’s nearby islands.

See also: – Things to do in Charleston – Things to do near Charleston – Charleston’s museums – Charleston events by month: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Black History Tours In Charleston With A Specialist Tour Company

With frankly charleston black history tours.

Adults $32, children $22 Walking tour exploring the history of Charleston’s historically-Black Wraggborough neighborhood.

Adults $32, children $22 Walking tour of a Charleston neighborhood exploring its Black history, with a short ride to get there.

With Gullah Tours

$25 per person, or $625 for a private tour Bus tour exploring Charleston’s Black history sites and the language and culture of the Gullah people.

With Sites and Insights Tours

$20 per person Bus tour of downtown Charleston’s Black history sites and the Gullah culture.

$25 per person Longer bus tour of downtown and peninsular Charleston’s Black history sites and the Gullah culture.

$40 per person Bus tour exploring the Black history and culture of peninsular Charleston, and also of James and Johns Islands.

$40 per person Bus tour focused on the Black history and culture of James and Johns Islands.

$25 per person Bus tour of Charleston’s historic Black and White houses of worship.

Charleston Black History Tours With A General-Interest Tour Company

With broad street biz.

From $150 for six people Tour exploring the creation of Dubose Heyward’s novel Porgy and George Gershwin’s subsequent opera, and the Gullah culture from which it drew.

With Bulldog Tours

Adults $37, children $27 Walking tour of significant Black history sights in Charleston.

Private custom group tour focused on the topics of your choice.

With Exclusively Charleston

From $125 per hour for 2 people Private car tour exploring the arts, crafts and culture of the Gullah people, also visiting Boone Hall Plantation.

With Old Walled City Walking Tours

Adults $35, children $8 Walking tour exploring the history of enslavement and the antebellum period in Charleston.

From $170 Customizable private tour of Charleston, up to a full day in length.

With Tour Charleston

Adults $32, children $22 Walking tour exploring Charleston’s Black history and culture.

Private group tour aimed at children.

Private customizable tour tailored to the interests of your group.

With Walk Charleston History

Walking tour focused on the sites and people featured in Dubose Heyward’s Porgy and the opera based upon it.

© Melanie K Jones 2024

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This Is My South

A travel guide to the Southern USA

10 Places to Learn About the Black History of Charleston

September 28, 2020 By Caroline Eubanks Leave a Comment

An important part of any visit to Charleston , South Carolina is to honor the legacy of the Black citizens of the city through the iconic works of art, beloved cuisines, and impact on American history.

The International African American Museum will open in 2022 in the city to tell these stories. Until then, visit these landmarks and read about the people and places on African American Charleston .

This post contains affiliate links.

Learn about these African-American landmarks and many more on the Lost Stories of Black Charleston Walking Tour or the Seven Eras of Slavery History & Museum Tour in Charleston .

Avery Institute

Founded in 1865 as the Avery Normal Institute, the school was created as a school for African-American students by a missionary association. In addition to teaching students, there was a teacher education program that had alumni like Septima Clark, who taught at rural Lowcountry schools.

The Avery Institute also established the city’s chapter of the NAACP and educated many future Civil Rights Movement activists. After the Brown vs. Board of Education decision, the school merged with Burke High School and it ceased operation.

Today it’s the Avery Research Institute , operating in association with the College of Charleston. They host lectures and performances and offer guided tours. They also have archival records for research.

Catfish Row

Charleston native and writer DuBose Heyward penned the 1925 novel Porgy , which would go on to be a play and later the musical Porgy and Bess , produced by George Gershwin. It broke barriers by featuring African-American actors on Broadway.

The fictional tale of African-American residents is set in Charleston and includes words in the Gullah language. Catfish Row is based on Cabbage Row, a section of former slums near what is now Rainbow Row, the most desirable street in the city.

Charleston City Market

The Historic Charleston City Market has been in operation since 1804 and is where you can get locally made products like artwork, food, and clothing. But what makes it so unique is the artisans that make traditional sweetgrass baskets .

The Gullah tradition is over 300 years old and is only found in the Lowcountry . Prices vary by the design, but some have even been displayed in the Gibbes Museum.

If you want to see even more options, head to the Coastal Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant where dozens of sweetgrass basket weavers set up shop to sell their items.

Charles Towne Landing

Charles Towne Landing was where the colonists first arrived in modern-day South Carolina in 1670. But it’s also important to remember that the slaves also entered America here.

The park opened in 1970 to commemorate the arrival of the British with over 600 acres of interpretive areas, a zoo, and replicas. Recent excavations uncovered a slave badge and other artifacts.

Nearby Sullivan’s Island was another disembarkation point for slaves, often holding them in quarantine on ships or on land. Fort Moultrie has an exhibit on the period.

Denmark Vesey Statue

Born into slavery in the Caribbean, Denmark Vesey, also called Telemaque, lived much of his life sailing around the coast with his master. By 1800, he was able to purchase his freedom, but not that of his wife and children.

Vesey became a carpenter in Charleston and was one of the organizers of what became Mother Emanuel AME Church. He organized an uprising of freedmen, slaves, and even a few white residents.

The plan was discovered when some of the slaves told their masters. At the trial, much of the testimony was given under duress. Vesey and over 30 co-conspirators were hanged for their crimes.

Denmark Vesey’s legacy is remembered at a statue of him in Hampton Park, which was unveiled in 2014. A house in the city is known as the Denmark Vesey House , although it was later determined that he lived in another house nearby.

Gibbes Museum of Art

The Gibbes Museum of Art started as the Carolina Art Association, founded in 1858, and opened its Beaux-Arts building on Meeting Street in 1905.

Exhibitions usually have some connection with Charleston or the South and the permanent collection features colonial portraiture and more contemporary pieces.

Among the most impressive pieces are the intricate sweetgrass designs. The Gibbes also has exhibits on the Charleston Renaissance , which, like the Harlem Renaissance, influenced art, literature, and design.

DuBose Heyward was among the figures in the movement, along with wife Dorothy, writers John Bennett and Julia Peterkin, and artists Alice Ravenel Huger Smith and noted Black portraitist Edwin Harleston .

McLeod Plantation

Located on James Island,  McLeod Plantation  was built in 1854 on Wappoo Creek. The home is in the Georgian style and was a headquarters during the Siege of Charleston during the Revolutionary War.

During the Civil War, the plantation was occupied by the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiments, a group of African-American soldiers.

The home was a part of the McLeod family until 1990. From there, it passed through a number of local institutions. It’s now a Charleston County Parks property, open as a museum.

What sets McLeod Plantation apart from other Charleston plantations is its connection to Gullah history, telling the stories of the people of color.

Mother Emanuel AME Church

After the Hampstead Church was burned following the Denmark Vesey plot, the Charleston community formed Emanuel AME Church, also referred to as Mother Emanuel, in 1817.

It has one of the oldest Black congregations in the country. After the Nat Turner slave rebellion, the city outlawed Black churches, but the congregation continued to meet in secret.

The Gothic Revival building was built in 1891 after previous versions collapsed in an earthquake. Among the members was Septima Clark , who lived nearby.

In 2015, a white supremacist entered the church during Sunday school and murdered nine people. A memorial sits outside of the church as a reminder of the tragic event.

Old Slave Mart Museum

The Old Slave Mart Museum is one of the most well-known landmarks related to Black history, depicting the abhorrent transatlantic slave trade and the arrival of slaves in America.

It was on this site that slaves were sold at auction to work at the nearby plantations starting in 1859 and ending in 1865 when Union troops occupied the city. It’s operated as a museum since the 1930s.

Philip Simmons Foundation

Philip Simmons was born on nearby Daniel Island, Simmons dropped out of school and began an apprenticeship with a blacksmith at age 13, taking on work full-time by age 18.

He set up his own blacksmith shop in 1938 on Blake Street and over 500 pieces of his ornamental gate work can now be found throughout the city. Other pieces are in Washington DC , Paris , and even China.

St. John’s Reformed Episcopal Church, where Simmons attended until his death in 2009, has a memorial garden displaying some of his gate work. Weekly ironworks demonstrations are also offered at his studio, led by his nephew, and his work is for sale.

Looking for a place to stay during your visit to Charleston? We recommend Hotel Bennett , which is located near many of these landmarks and owned by producer and entrepreneur Sheila Johnson.

About Caroline Eubanks

Caroline Eubanks is the editor of this website, a Lowell Thomas award-winning travel writer, and the author of This Is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the Southern States. Her stories from the South have appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Afar, Thrillist, Roads and Kingdoms, and BBC Travel.

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Charleston African American Tours

immerse yourself in the vast culture of charleston

Reserve your spot today!

At Charleston African American Tours, we provide an all-inclusive historical tour. No matter your race, ethnicity, or religion, you too can fully immerse yourself in the vast culture that Charleston, SC has to offer.

Photo Gallery

The story of Robert Smalls

Our Experienced Tour Guide

Meet Nate Hutchinson, your licensed tour guide. He is a native Charlestonian born into the Gullah Geechee culture. He grew up in the Ten Mile section of Awendaw in Charleston County.  Nate is a graduate of Benedict College, an HBCU located in Columbia, SC. He holds a bachelor's degree in American and World History.

Nate has a rich historic

Nate has a rich historical connection to the Gullah Geechee culture, tracing his family lineage to the Black Cotton Kings of Edisto Island on his paternal side. And additionally tracing his ancestry to enslaved Africans and slave owners.

Professionally, Nate spent 25 years in the private sector working in the field of Property and Casualty Insurance as well as commercial Transportation Management. As a part of the public sector, Nate worked and retired from The Office of Inspector General for the South Carolina Dept. of Motor Vehicles. There as a Public Safety Inspector, Nate would audit and inspect private commercial companies in the southern region of the state.

Nate is the proud owner of three companies here in Charleston:

Charleston Black Car Limousine &

How Great Gullah Art

Beautiful Sites

• Old City Market & Historical Battery
• Civil & Revolutionary War
• Gullah Geechee Culture
• Family Gullah Stories
• Porgy & Bess
• History of Slavery and Colonization
• Personal Family History
• Sweetgrass Basket History
• Stono Rebellion
• The East Side
• International African American Museum Site
• 54 Massachusetts Regiment story

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Much time and effort has been taken to ensure visitors comfort and satisfaction. We take great pride in providing a high-quality service to every visitor. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. We also offer private tours combined with a city tour to include James Island, Johns Island, Sullivans Island, Mount Pleasant, Boone Ha

Much time and effort has been taken to ensure visitors comfort and satisfaction. We take great pride in providing a high-quality service to every visitor. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. We also offer private tours combined with a city tour to include James Island, Johns Island, Sullivans Island, Mount Pleasant, Boone Hall, Magnolia & McLeod Plantation. Specialized tours are available upon request.

Our tours are given in a comfortable Mercedes Sprinter van. The Sprinter departs at 10AM and 2PM from the Visitor Center located on 375 Meeting Street.

Cash Payment

Credit card, special requests available.

For small group tours, we can customize an itinerary to emphasize your interests. For larger group tours, please allow a minimum 3-day advance notice so that accommodations can be made. If you have a special request, give us a call so that we can better assist you. Please allow 24 to 48 hours for phone messages.  Thank you!

Charleston African American Tours (843) 276-0117

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Frankly Charleston Black History Tours

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Frankly Charleston Morning Walking Tour

Frankly Charleston Sunday Walking Tour

Frankly Charleston Evening ride/walk Tour

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Frankly Charleston Black History Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

New tour: From Negroes back to Hebrews to Gullah & Geechee

Gullah Geechee Africa Tours

Historical gullah tours in charleston, sc, looking for the perfect gift buy a gift certificate now, we certify the truth, come and get yah gullah geechee on, learn about the ancient secrets of the gullah geechee here in the holy city of charleston, sc., we are now offering walking tours.

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Historical City of Charleston Gullah Geechee History Tour

See Charleston’s history from a new perspective on this tour of the Holy City’s Gullah people and culture!

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Gullah Geechee Tours offers a one-of-a-kind experience for locals, tourists, and anyone interested in true slave history. There is no other tour offered in the city of Charleston that comes close to giving such a unique and genuine experience about the city’s history. Our tour is the most talked about tour in the city and it’s the only tour that gives the most accurate understanding of the world-famous slave trade which was championed right here in the Holy City of Charleston, SC. Charleston tourism does not talk about its hugely successful slave trade although our city was #1 in America for slavery.

Your certified tour guide Godfrey Gullah Jac is the only Charleston Gullah historian. He a is full blooded Gullah Geechee. Godfrey Gullah Jac speaks in great detail about African American history and slave history right here in Charleston, SC. Come have a look and take a listen to an ancient history about the mysterious people descending from way across da water. The Gullah Geechee people broke the chains of slavery into freedom. Come and hear our true history.

Godfrey’s new book & DVD now available for purchase.

Charleston’s Slave Trade & Redemption Rev 22

Gullah Geechee Unchained: Charleston Tourism Uncertified

More Gullah Geechee Tours

Gullah after dark with godfrey.

Learn an often overlooked aspect of Charleston’s history and culture of the Gullah people on this driving night tour through the city!

Biblical and Historical City of Charleston Tour

Delight in all Charleston has to offer, from the city’s history to the Bible’s truth, on this white glove service tour!

Geechee Gullah Walking Tour

The Battery is Charleston’s most beautiful historical city in the world. We walk and talk about this beautiful hidden history during this tour.

Hundreds of Guests Rate us "Excellent" on TripAdvisor

I would recommend this tour to anyone who has a desire to experience an in-depth and nuanced education on Charleston and southern life including its global influences. This tour gets 5 stars! For those visiting the area, you can find the tour at the Charleston visiting center on Market Street. You won't regret it!

We did this tour because of fantastic reviews, the enthusiastic recommendation of our host, and our interest in African American history and culture. It was even better than we expected. We especially appreciated his introduction to the Gullah language and people: fascinating, and not easy to find. Easy to do--mostly sitting in a comfortable van.

This is a tour about the Gullah's role in the history of Charleston. You will see parts of Charleston that are not on the conventional tours, which gives you a better appreciation of the city - past and present - and all its inhabitants.

The tour focuses on the lives of African Americans of Charleston: slaves, craftsmen, wealthy landowners, and the Gullah culture and language. You'll learn more stories about African Americans than you'll hear anywhere else and see some of their homes, churches, crafts. The guide's animated way of telling the stories kept us enthralled.

The tour guides has a wealth of information about Charleston and its history. He has a sense of humor and although he must have told the stories a million times they still seemed to be fresh. Great tour if you want to sit in the air-conditioning (as opposed to walking or carriage tours) and still see a lot of interesting homes and buildings.

I loved this tour almost as much as I loved the openness and kindness and perspective of the guide. We saw a lot of the sites from Sue Monk Kidd's book, The Invention of Wings, and a nationally celebrated blacksmith artist, Philip Simmons.

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This Travel Guide Highlights Charleston’s Black Heritage — With Black-owned Eateries, Shops, and Tours

The 60-page guide includes bakeries, food trucks, art galleries, boutiques, and tours celebrating Black heritage in the South Carolina city.

Courtesy of the International African American Museum

Perhaps it’s appropriate that the roots of “ We Shall Overcome ” trace back to Charleston. Originating as a song Black women sang during the American Tobacco Company labor strike in 1945 and 1946, it grew into an anthem of the country’s civil rights movement . But for centuries, the South Carolina city has encompassed that spirit amid a complicated and storied history that’s being spotlighted in the new edition of Explore Black Charleston Guide .

“Ever since West Africans touched these shores in 1526, they found ways to resist the powers that attempted to subjugate, brutalize, and exploit them,” the guide said . “From enslavement to emancipation, the Jim Crow period and into modernity, the Black community’s desire to educate and liberate themselves from unfair and unequal treatment is a mainstay.”

It’s with that mentality that the 2023 edition of the guide, published in June, was created. The goal is to provide visitors the opportunity to “dive deeper into the culture” by including a “comprehensive round-up of notable Black-owned restaurants and businesses, significant African American historical landmarks and more,” a release obtained by Travel + Leisure explained. 

With August being National Black Business Month , there's no better time to support the city's Black-owned bakeries, eateries, food trucks, art galleries, gift shops, boutiques, and tour companies. Among those highlighted in the guide are dining hotspots, like CKBakes4U , best known for its crab pies; Daddy’s Girl Bakery , which is famous for its famed Charleston Chewies; My Three Sons of Charleston , which has some notable chicken and waffles; and Rodney Scott’s BBQ , which is known for its whole-hog barbecue.

Angie Mosier

Courtesy of My Three Sons of Charleston

Also featured are Chuma Gullah Gallery with art for all budgets of Gullah culture , Gullah Dolls of Charleston by Genya for handmade traditional African dolls, and The Tiny Tassel for gifts designed and made in town. 

In addition to the businesses, the guide also includes historical sites like the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture , Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site , Gibbes Museum of Art , and the International African American Museum . The latter describes itself as honoring the “untold stories of the African American Journey at one of our country’s most sacred sites.”

“After taking in the powerful stories and picturesque splendor of the most historically protected city in the United States, visitors can choose to stay in the heart of downtown’s historic district at Emeline, a thoughtfully designed retreat curated with the curious traveler in mind, or at The Ryder , a sophisticated boutique hotel that playfully challenges the ordinary for the adventurous and authentic travelers,” the release added. 

Printed copies of the Explore Black Charleston Visitor Guide can be picked up for free at Explore Charleston’s Visitor Centers located in downtown Charleston, Kiawah, Mount Pleasant, and North Charleston. It can also be accessed online line at issuu.com .

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2.5 Hr. Charleston Black History, Gullah Geechee and Porgy & Bess , Sea Island Tour (City/ Island Tour)

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Explore Gullah Geechee and Black History found in the city of Charleston and neighboring sea islands with veteran licensed tour guide, author, & lecturer, Al Miller aboard a plush, 25 passenger,  air conditioned tour bus . This combination City/Island Tour offers a dual experience: a condensed tour of Charleston and James and Johns Islands, covering over 38 miles roundtrip.

This tour covers most of the City of Charleston and Island Sites listed except Wagener Terrace Neighborhood, Hampton Park, Lowndes Grove Plantation House and Seashore Farmers' Lodge.

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6 Standout Black History Tours in the U.S., From California to Charleston

By DeAnna Taylor

Each February to mark Black History Month, the United States celebrates the Black men, women , and organizations that have helped move the needle forward for equality. While one month—28 days to be exact—isn’t nearly long enough to share every worthy story, tours about the topic can be an excellent experience to fill in the gaps, and to support Black tour operators who work tirelessly to include accurate details of the Black experience that are too often left out.

There are many Black history tours right here in the United States that range from group to self-walking and driving options; self-guided tours are great for those who prefer to go at their own pace or avoid crowds, plus they’re usually free. As we continue to learn about Black history beyond the limited scope of textbooks and the internet, consider checking out one of these Black heritage tours across the country.

A group of Black Liberation Walking Tour participants in Oakland

Black Liberation Walking Tour: Oakland, California

Type : Self-guided

Duration: 2 hours

When most people think of Black history in the United States, they typically imagine the history of the American South, New York City’s Harlem, and Washington, D.C. This self-guided tour in Oakland, California , shares nearly 100 years of Black history in the American West, from the West Coast’s Civil Rights Movement and the Great Migration, to present-day stories of Oakland residents. Tour stops include St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, which was the spiritual home of the local Black Panther Party; the California Hotel, one of the few hotels in the 1950s that allowed Black guests and eventually became a popular entertainment venue for Black musicians like Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, and James Brown; and the house of Delilah Beasley, one of the first Black women journalists to write for major American newspapers.

The self-guided tour route, photos, and accompanying audio files for the journey can be found here .

Black Austin Tours' Roll Colorado Roll Tour offering, a Black history tour on the Colorado River

Black Austin Tours: Austin, Texas

Type: Walking (seasonal, May-August)

Owner Javier Wallace is a history buff through and through, and his family has lived in the Austin area since the 1820s. He has thoroughly researched and curated this seasonal walking tour that explores everything from the Texas route that many enslaved Black people used to escape to freedom in Mexico in the late 1800s, to the Black-owned businesses and sites that have played an integral part in the success of Austin’s Black residents . “This tour is important for Austin because it forces an insertion of Black histories, experiences, and contributions in a city that has tried to silence them,” Wallace says.

The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, today the National Civil Rights Museum

A Tour of Possibilities: Memphis, Tennessee

Type: Riding (via van) or self-driven; virtual option

By Olivia Morelli

By Alex Van Buren

By Melissa Liebling-Goldberg

By Paris Wilson

Duration: 2.5 hours

Owned and operated by Carolyn Michael-Banks—a Memphis resident for over 20-years—this caravan tour provides the stories between Memphis’ historical sites, such as the Mason Temple where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous ‘I’ve Been to the Mountaintop’ speech, while connecting dots that aren’t typically in history textbooks. “I like to ask guests questions as we go along, because when you just hear the information lecture style, it doesn’t stick,” Michael-Banks says. “I’ll ask, ‘what were you taught about the reason why Rosa Parks stayed seated that day?’ Many will respond with ‘she was tired.’ But I point out it was because she was tired from the way Black people were being treated. When I engage with questions, it allows the information to stick and hopefully inspires guests to research further on their own.”

To help guests stay safe, Michael-Banks allows guests to follow the caravan in their own vehicle while listening to the audio through a personal smart device. There is also a private tour option—up to 10 people— that allows you to ride in the caravan with Michael-Banks. Tours are Thursday through Saturday and cost $45 per person over age five. A virtual option, which includes a live presentation with video and narration, is also available for groups.

The interior of the Citadel, which dates back to 1822

Frankly Charleston Black History Tours: Charleston, South Carolina

Type: Walking

Since 2015, Franklin Williams has hosted his Frankly Charleston Black History Tours in the city’s downtown area. A family-owned business, Williams educates tour participants about the free and enslaved Black men and women who helped build the city of Charleston , and what life was like for them centuries ago. Participants learn some of Charleston’s oldest history as it relates to the enslaved, including the picturesque Citadel that was built in response to an 1822 slave revolt.

“Charleston doesn’t often give credit to the Black people who built it; it’s slowly getting better, but I make sure to honor them,” Williams says. The tour sites can change once Williams has a conversation with guests and gets a feel of what they are interested in learning. “This is a very interactive tour. You can just listen, or you can ask questions and even debate me, if needed.” In April, Williams will also begin offering a riding tour as a way to visit additional sites that are farther out from the downtown Charleston area.

Harlem Walking Tours: Harlem, New York

Duration: Varies

Launched in 1998 by Harlem native Neal Shoemaker, Harlem Walking Tours offers several tour options, including a Harlem Renaissance Multimedia Walking Tour that explores venues and sites that were instrumental to the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. The two-hour tour starts at the Schomburg Center for Research; guides bring the tour to life with sound and video equipment as you walk the same sidewalks as Black icons like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and more. There is also a Harlem Gospel Tour—a three-hour walking tour that explores the impact that gospel music and the church have had on Harlem over the decades. All tours are conducted by a Harlem native.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

KB Tours: Washington, D.C.

Type: Walking, bus, and virtual options

For over 20 years, KB Tours has provided walking, bus, and more recently, virtual tours in the Washington, D.C. area. The daily African American Heritage Tour starts at the Navy Memorial on 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue and makes stops at the Frederick Douglass House, Howard University, and the historic neighborhoods of Shaw, Anacostia, and LeDroit Park. Afterward, guests are encouraged to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture (the museum offers free admission, with timed-entry passes).

“If people like to go off the beaten path, ours is the tour to go on,” KB Tours owner Kenny Burns says. Participants will need to allot four hours for the African American Heritage tour; additional, shorter options include a series of 90-minute virtual tours. There’s also a four-hour African American History at Night tour, which starts at 7:00 pm. For those who may be visiting D.C. with a large group, or even for a family reunion, KB Tours offers private options, too.

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