African American Heritage Guide
This is a blueprint of Durham's Black history, written by the community, for the community, and a blueprint to experiencing Durham's Black excellence. Use it as a resource to plan a trip and an introduction that will open the door to learn more.
Black history lives and breathes in Durham. There’s no separating the contributions of Black Durhamites from the broader story of Durham – from the newly freed enslaved people who left Stagville Plantation and settled in what would become our city’s earliest neighborhoods, through the people and businesses that built Black Wall Street and the Hayti community, anchored by the Hayti Heritage Center which occupies a space on the Civil Rights Map, to North Carolina Central University, the fight for civil rights, and the thriving arts and entrepreneurship community of today.
This guide invites you to explore our history and community. Get curious about how the past has shaped the present. Experience the culture, people and businesses that make Black Durham the vibrant place it is today.
This guide is a collaboration built by writers, poets, artists and storytellers in Durham's Black community, led by poet, educator, community organizer and artist Dasan Ahanu. The printed guide is an important keepsake and handy introduction to Black Durham; our About the Guide page introduces you to those contributors and shares more of the guide's stories in their words. We invite you to explore.
Planning a Trip to Durham
This guide invites you to explore, learn and appreciate our history and, most importantly, connect with our community. In the middle of the guide, you'll find a 48-hour itinerary packed with recommendations for knowing and supporting the Black-owned businesses that put Durham on the map, including Morehead Manor Bed and Breakfast and James Beard Award-winner Ricky Moore's Saltbox Seafood Joint. Plus, there are dozens more to know and love. Use the map at the back to navigate your journey.
Building the Guide
The team behind this guide worked hard to build a proud representation of Black Durham for locals and an introduction to newcomers. It is intended to spark a conversation locally and help inspire visitors to explore more of Durham.
To start, we wanted to hear from Durham's Black community. We sat for listening sessions with more than a dozen leaders of the cultural institutions, businesses and organizations included on these pages. We dreamed big about where this project could go and talked about what we could include in this first iteration to make everyone involved proud.
From these listening sessions, we prioritized stories that illustrate Durham's character through visitor-friendly sites and attractions. We then worked with the contributors listed above to tell these stories through their eyes.
Our aim is for this to be a proud representation of Durham – one that conveys our city's importance in Black history and helps visitors see themselves here in our welcoming and vibrant community. We can't wait to see it grow and evolve.