Instead, users can simply plug any U.S. destination into the map’s search function, whether it’s in their backyard or across the country. As they find places that pique their curiosity, the map allows them to save their favorites and share them via email to essentially create their own personalized guide.
“Of course, it’s impossible to gather enough data to fully visualize culture. That’s not really the promise at the center of this map,” says Martin. “Instead, we’ve aimed to create an informative, transparent, inspiring, and useful snapshot of some of what’s out there, while inviting people to add their own points to the map […] This is a living, breathing collective effort for us all to enjoy.”
For users simply looking to browse and learn more about the Black community, there are also 10 ‘Tour the Culture’ guides. Each one features nationwide points of interest that fit into themes such as Black-owned wineries (Melanin Vines); safe spaces to enjoy Mother Nature (We Outside); and restaurants that fueled civil rights (Civil Bites).
To celebrate the launch of The Black Elevation Map, a 60-second film called “A Hymn Away From Home” was also released. Directed by Kelly Fyffe-Marshall and produced by the Black-owned production company Alfredo Films, the film showcases more than 30 Black business owners accompanied by imagery and original poetry commissioned and performed by Jasmine Mans.
Beyond inspiring travelers of all backgrounds to explore the U.S. through the lens of the Black experience, Martin believes The Black Elevation Map serves another purpose.
“A resource like this is essential to the growth and success of Black businesses going forward,” he says, adding that this project initially started at the height of the pandemic to “stop the bleeding” as the number of working Black American entrepreneurs plummeted. “In the spirit of resilience, however, here we are in 2022 celebrating the heights of The Culture in a triumphant effort to make our mark on the trillion dollar U.S. travel industry.”
The Black Elevation Map is also a follow up to Black & Abroad’s 2019 “Go Back to Africa” campaign, which took that derogatory phrase and turned it into a positive tourism campaign for the continent. Both projects were created in conjunction with the team at the creative-data advertising agency Performance Art.
“Both of these projects involve ways of seeing the world. For ‘Go Back To Africa’ it was a choice to see those four words not as a racial slur, but as a positive call to action for travel to the continent. For The Black Elevation Map, it’s a choice to see the country through a lens that’s open about its bias to love, community, and celebration,” says Ian Mackenzie, chief creative officer of Performance Art. “Together, [these projects] are making a case that there’s value in positive framing and perspective, which also happens to be the gift at the heart of good travel experiences.”
