Experience the New Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail

In December, the city of Asheville, North Carolina, unveiled a new walking trail that allows visitors to learn the stories behind the city’s Black heritage and history through 14 stops. The walking trail, originally proposed in 2010 and dubbed Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail, is the first in western North Carolina and one of few in the region.

The trail is split into three sections, focusing on Asheville’s downtown, Southside neighborhood and River Arts District. Stops along the way include YMI Cultural Center, one of the first Black community centers in the United States, and points of interest that will educate travelers on figures such as Dr. John Wakefield Walker, America’s first Black pulmonologist, and Civil Rights activist Matthew Bacoate, Jr.

“Our goal was focused on lifting up Black history in an inclusive way by illuminating stories of resilience and resourcefulness. The trail’s completion represents a moment of celebration, unity and remembrance,” said activist Catherine Mitchell, who helped organize the trail’s completion.

See the trail during one of Asheville’s upcoming cultural festivals and events, such as GRINDfest, May 24–26, which celebrates Black entrepreneurship, or Asheville’s Juneteenth Festival, June 19.