THE ‘AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE TOUR’ OFFERS AN EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact Eric Alboher, CEO Black History Tours, (305) 754-0981, eric@blackhistorytours.com

Members of The Florida Task Force on African American History (AAHTF), the United Nation’s Educational Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (TST) Education Project are partnering with BlackHistoryTours.com, Inc. and historically black colleges and universities to offer an educational adventure tour: The African American Heritage Tour, from July 10-15.

The six day African American Heritage Tour is made possible thanks to a myriad of supporters and contributors, including city commissioners, The Smithsonian Institution, former Congressman Kendrick Meek and Rep. Geraldine Thompson are among the supporters.

While traveling to cities from Pasco/Hillsborough to Tallahassee, Jacksonville to St. Augustine and Daytona Beach to Orlando, tour participants will explore various topics and themes in African Diaspora history and culture. The tour features deluxe motor coach transportation provided by American Bus Lines of South Florida. Accommodations are provided at four-star hotels featuring Innisbrook Golf Resort, Hotel Duval, Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk, Lake Mary Marriott and the Rosen Plaza, with each hotel providing meals and receptions to support this important cause.

This tour is designed to attract education professionals and other cultural history enthusiasts. Among its topics and themes are: The Middle Passage, plantation slavery, “Underground Railroad” routes, Gullah/Geechee culture, marronage and black town settlements,  fighting “Jim Crow,” struggles for education and civil rights and African-American traditions in business, athletics and entertainment.

About UNESCO-TST:

The UNESCO-TST project aims to break the silence surrounding the causes and consequences of the transatlantic slave trade and the immense contributions made by Africans while forging new links with over 120 affiliated schools in 22 countries in Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe.  Another of its aims is to help eliminate modern forms of slavery and racism. With promotion of mutual respect and intercultural dialogue as a priority, TST activities include developing new educational material and organizing a wide range of intercultural activities.

About the Florida AAHTF:

The Florida AAHTF is an advisory arm of the Florida Department of Education.  It advocates and facilitates the implementation of the state’s multicultural education Statute #1003.42 (h) that mandates infusing the history and cultural contributions of Africans and African Diasporas into the K-12 curriculum throughout all of Florida’s public schools. “Faithful and effective teaching” of the subject is part of the mandate. Resource development, professional training, cross-cultural outreach and community partnering are also AAHTF priorities.

About BlackHistoryTours.com:

BlackHistoryTours.com, Inc. is a national multicultural student tour operation and destination management company founded in Miami in 2000. We are dedicated to educating America’s youth about African-American history through travel and cultural exposure. The inspiration for BlackHistoryTours comes from a strong conviction and realization that empowerment, pride and awareness can make even the most challenging of obstacles, surmountable ones. BlackHistoryTours provides customized, comprehensive pre-packaged travel itineraries for meeting and conventions, groups and individual travelers.

Following is a tour schedule and itinerary, featuring our premier collaborative hotel partners (in bold):

• July 10 – Sunday – Innisbrook, Welcome and Workshop “Prepare Your Students for College,” “Gospel Music Leaders,” Innisbrook Resort, 36750 U.S. Highway 19 North, Innisbrook, FL 34684 (near Bealsville) / (727) 942-2000
• July 11 – Monday – Tallahassee, Florida A&M University: Speech “Breaking the Silence,” Black Archives, Freedman Bank, Hotel Duval, 415 North Monroe Street/Tallahassee, FL 32301 / (850) 224-6000
• July 12 – Tuesday – Jacksonville, Fort George Island, Kingsley Plantation and LaVilla Museum, Edward Waters College. Wyndham Riverwalk, 1515 Prudential Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32207 (904) 396-5100
• July 13 – Wednesday – St. Augustine, Forte Mose, Lincolnville and Underground Railroad Trail. Marriott Hotel 1501 International Parkway, Lake Mary, FL  32746 / (407) 995-1100
• July 14 –Thursday – Daytona Beach, Bethune-Cookman University: Bethune House and Rosewood Archives; Civil Rights Museum, Mims; Orlando Tour and Wells’ Built Museum. Rosen Plaza Hotel and Resort, 9700 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819 / (407) 996-9700
• July 15 – Friday –Orlando, Speech “Jim Crow in Florida and The South” and Curriculum Infusion, Rosen Plaza Hotel and Resort, 9700 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819 (407) 996-9700

Members of the media are invited to participate in the tour. The best time for coverage is between 5:30-7PM at each Hotel. Media who wish to ride along with all or part of the tour should contact Eric Alboher at (305) 754-0981 or by email at eric@blackhistorytours.com.