In celebration of Black History Month, Backroads this week announced it is partnering with Outdoor Afro to launch a new multiadventure trip that explores the history of the Underground Railroad.
The tour, scheduled for the first week of October, runs from Savannah, Ga., to Charleston, S.C., and will offer traditional Backroads outdoor activities such as biking, hiking and kayaking along with a deeper dive into the history and culture of the region.
Activities include exploring landscapes once crossed by the Underground Railroad; guided walks focused on the history of people in the coastal cities of Savannah and Charleston; learning about the Gullah culture through storytelling and song at a lowcountry boil; visiting the Penn Center, one of the first schools for former slaves; paddling the waterways of the ACE Basin, once home to dozens of rice plantations; and discovering the marshy channels of the Combahee River, where Harriet Tubman once guided a regiment of Union soldiers on a raid.
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The itinerary also includes a visit to Magnolia Plantation, where guests will learn about the experience of African Americans from slavery to Reconstruction and into the 1920s and the of Civil Rights era.
“I was fortunate enough to take a similar adventure with Backroads, which inspired this trip,” said Rue Mapp, founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro. “One of the best parts was the deep knowledge and information that I was exposed to; much of the history was unexpected, and I was most fascinated by the traditions of the Gullah people of the lowcountry region of South Carolina. As a Black American woman, I appreciated how the Black history of the region was presented in triumph and joy as opposed to through the lens of pain and suffering. The history and lore was such an immersive experience for me, and I am beyond excited to make this trip available to the Outdoor Afro community.”
In announcing the trip, Tom Hale, founder and president of Backroads, said, “I can’t think of a better way to learn about American history than to see it up close and actively.
“We’ve been supporters of Outdoor Afro for many years and believe in their mission of expanding access to nature among the Black community,” he said. “We were thrilled to work with Rue Mapp and her staff to create this new trip and look forward to bringing history to life when the trip launches in October.”