With a black heritage that dates back more than 250 years, Savannah makes a fantastic destination to visit during Black History Month. See some of the city's African-American heritage attractions and learn more about these early inhabitants' legacy.
The First African Baptist Church, for example, is home to the oldest black congregation in the United States. Constituted in 1777, the church's mostly enslaved members worked on plantations surrounding the city by day. At night, they were allowed to work on their church, completed in 1859. Check to see if tours are available or worship with the congregation at 10 a.m. any Sunday.
The Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters allows visitors to explore the complex relationships between the wealthy and those who worked for them during the 19th century. The building contains the original slave quarters, a two-story structure composed of three rooms on each level. Nine to 15 enslaved people, about half of whom were children, lived and worked on the site at any given time between 1819 and the end of the Civil War. Once the war ended, it became servants' quarters, housing many of the same people. Part of the Telfair Museums, the attraction is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The Haitian Monument in Franklin Square commemorates the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue's contribution to America's fight for independence. One of the few black regiments that fought in the Revolutionary War, America recruited the soldiers from Haiti, then the French colony of Saint-Domingue. James Mastin sculpted the life-sized bronze figures.
The Pin Point Heritage Museum gives visitors the chance to experience local Gullah/Geechee culture. It's part of the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Corridor that stretches through coastal Georgia and South Carolina. For nearly 100 years, the Pin Point community sat isolated on the banks of the Moon River just south of Savannah. Explore the refurbished complex and experience multimedia presentations, exhibits, and views of the marsh at the museum, located in the old A.S. Varn & Son Oyster and Crab Factory. Note: The Pin Point Heritage Museum is closed for winter but plans to re-open this spring. Check with them before visiting.
Immerse yourself in the history with a Footprints of Savannah Walking Tour. These tours currently allow two to four people to travel in the same group. Walk through Savannah's history and learn about urban slavery, the slave trade, and the cotton trade. Tours start at 10 a.m. For Reservations, call Vaughnette Goode-Walker at 912-695-3872.
Complete the historical experience with a stay in a Carriage House, outbuildings that were once part of large estates. Many of these carriage houses have been retrofitted with modern amenities, making them comfortable and convenient accommodations for your Savannah stay.
