An online resource makes it possible for Missourians of all backgrounds to tour key Black history sites, which is to say, key state history sites.
The Missouri Division of Tourism website hosts a five-day set of itineraries that can be followed to the letter or simply introduce travelers to places they might want to visit on their own time and plan. These historic sites will lead visitors into encounters with the lives of Scott Joplin, Dred Scott and Huck Finn’s pal Jim as well as subjects such as baseball, jazz and more.
Here are just a few of the sites listed and worth traveling to:
Hannibal
Jim’s Journey: The Huck Finn Freedom Center: Here, visitors can learn more about Mark Twain and one of his most famous characters.
Kansas City
American Jazz Museum: Bone up on your jazz history at this museum in the heart of one of the genre’s great cities.
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum: A true American gem, this multimedia-filled museum draws visitors into the manifold contributions of Black players to the national pastime.
Southwest Missouri
George Washington Carver National Monument: Located in Diamond, near Joplin, this multifaceted site studies the life of Carver — the scientist, yes, but also the educator, artist and more.
St. Louis area
Scott Joplin House State Historic Site: Still furnished in the trappings of his time, this house first heard some of Joplin’s most famous ragtime compositions.
Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing and Rest Area: At this spot 3 miles north of St. Louis, a group of runaway slaves set about seeking freedom in 1855.
The Old Courthouse: This iconic St. Louis courthouse was the home of the Dred and Harriet Scott trail.
Check out each itinerary and learn about more possible stops on the Missouri Division of Tourism site at https://www.visitmo.com/itineraries/celebrate-black-history-in-missouri.
More Black history in Columbia and mid-Missouri
Two mid-Missouri sites made the itinerary list:
Arrow Rock African-American Experience Museum: Located in a mid-Missouri hamlet that continues to reckon with its past, this permanent exhibit looks at Black history from 1865-1960.
Lincoln University and the Soldiers Memorial Plaza: In Jefferson City, this site honors the historic Black university’s founders and members of the 62nd and 65th Colored Infantries who fought in the Civil War.
Columbians can avail themselves of numerous opportunities to stand before or sit with Black history in our city. Just a very few of the places worth visiting include:
The Daniel Boone Regional Library system also has a great online tool for studying Black history, including local stories and sites, at https://www.dbrl.org/research-and-learn/black-culture-history.
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com. He’s on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.
