As we wrap-up this year's Black History Month celebration, take some time to go through the list of places you can explore using the Duckwyn Travel app to learn about Black History. Check their web sites as some of these places may not be open due to Covid. 

The last place I wanted to call attention to before the month ends is the Booker T. Washington National Monument. It was here that Washington was born into slavery. He would go on to become an author, orator, and adviser to multiple U.S. presidents. He worked tirelessly to promote black education and entrepreneurship. It was his life goal to build long-term economic strength and bring pride to the African-American community. If you're in Virginia, make sure to set some time aside to visit this national monument to learn more about Booker T. Washington's life.
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More information

• Booker T. Washington National Monument
• Wikipedia 

Frederick Douglass escaped slavery and went on to become a leader of the abolitionist movement. His work in the movement in Massachusetts and New York led to him becoming famous for his oratory and antislavery writings. Later in life he would join President Rutherford B. Hayes' administration as the marshal of the District of Columbia. It was the first time a black man successfully received a federal position which required Senate approval. He was also the first African American to receive a vote for president by a major political party.

The Frederick Douglass National Historic Site preserves Douglass' home and estate and pays tribute to this great African American leader.

More Information:

• Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
• Wikipedia
• ​Historical places to learn more about Black History

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was beaten and whipped as a child and even hit in the head with a metal weight (the weight was thrown at another slave but hit her instead). She would suffer from dizziness and pain for the rest of her life. None of this stopped her from bringing hundreds of slaves to freedom.

Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849 making her way to Philadelphia. Despite being free, she risked her freedom over and over, returning south to rescue her relatives and other enslaved people. During the Civil War, Tubman worked with the Union Army as a scout and spy. She became the first woman to lead an armed expedition in war when she helped liberate over 700 slaves at the raid at Combahee Ferry.

Today, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park in Maryland commemorates her life. If you're in southern Maryland then you should visit to learn more about this extraordinary woman.

Additional Information:

• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park
• Harriet - the 2019 movie about the life of Harriet Tubman
• Wikipedia

Visit the George Washington Carver National Monument in Missouri to learn about the great scientist and inventor, George Washington Carver.

Carver was the most prominent black scientist of the early 20th century. His work promoting environmentalism helped improve the lives of the farming community. He developed techniques to improve the soil, including crop rotation. Carver's achievements and inventions led Time magazine to call him a "Black Leonardo", a reference to the great Leonardo da Vinci whose inventions also changed the world.

The national monument preserves Carver's boyhood home and the 240 acres of land around it. Check out the nature trail, museum, and exhibits to learn more about his life.

 More information:

• George Washington Carver National Monument
• Wikipedia

I've been adding several new places to the Duckwyn Travel app in support of Black History month. The complete list is available on our Black History Month page.

​The ​Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument captures the life of Charles Young. Charles' father fought for his family's freedom as part of the 5th United States Colored Heavy Artillery Regiment during the Civil War. Charles would follow in his father's military footsteps. He graduated from West Point (the 3rd African-American to do so). He later would become a Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army. Upon his death in 1922, Charles Young was the highest ranking African-American officer in the United States Army.

To learn more about his life visit the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Ohio.

In preparation for Black History Month I put together a new page of the places you should visit to learn about Black History in America.  There are nine places where you can use the Duckwyn Travel app to add stamps and stickers to your collection. More places will be added during the month. There are also six people to find and learn about too, including Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Covid is still making it difficult to travel but if you're able to get out and explore, these places are worth a visit.

Learn more...

Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. She took off from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland on May 20, 1932 and landed 14 hours and 56 minutes later in Culmore, a town in Northern Ireland. She received the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress, the Cross of Knight of the Legion of Honor from the French Government, and the Gold Medal of the National Geographic Society from President Herbert Hoover for her successful Transatlantic crossing.

​Amelia Earhart would go on to set many aviation records and inspire future generations of female aviators. Unfortunately, her attempt to fly around the world in 1937 would end in tragedy. She left Miami and would make several stops on her way to Lae, New Guinea, traveling about 22,000 miles of the 29,000 mile journey.  On July 2, 1937, she took off from Lae Airfield for Howland Island but she would never arrive. There are a lot of theories for what happened but the actual event remains a mystery until this day.

Check out Wikipedia for more information.

John Lewis was a leader of the civil rights movement in the 1960's. He led peaceful protests to end legalized racial segregation in the United States. In 1986 he was elected to Congress. He served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives until his death in July 2020.

John Lewis saw the success of the civil rights movement when Barak Obama was elected as President of the United States in  2008. A lot changed over those years but he also recognized there is still much work to do to this day. When asked if the election had fulfilled Dr. King's dream, he said "No, it’s just a down payment. There’s still too many people 50 years later, there’s still too many people that are being left out and left behind." [thegrio.com]

There is still more progress to be made as a society but there is no doubt that without John Lewis, we wouldn't be where we are today.

You can learn more about John Lewis by looking for his information cards in your Duckwyn Travel Passport. You can find them in Selma, Alabama and Washington D.C.

Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and 1951 to 1955. He served in the military and the government through most of his life. During World War II, Winston Churchill led the British involvement in the Allied effort to defeat Nazi Germany. In the early 1940's, Britain was doing everything it could to withstand bombing attacks. Churchill's leadership and confidence helped the country to navigate this difficult time. Five years later, the Axis powers were defeated.

Today, we've added Winston Churchill as a person to find and learn about when you travel to London. Keep a lookout if you're near Big Ben. You will find him located nearby.

Florence Nightingale is now in the Duckwyn app. You can learn about her contributions to the world when you visit Florence, Italy. A memorial to her can be found at Santa Croce. Use the app to find her nearby.

​Florence's tireless work to improve sanitation and the working conditions of field hospitals during the Crimean War helped save thousands of lives. Her important work laid the foundation for the nursing profession. 

You can learn more about her life on Wikipedia.