The inaugural Champaign County African American Heritage Trail Bus Tour promises to be one of the highlights of February’s Black History Month in the Champaign-Urbana area.
The bus tour, slated for Feb. 17, offers a journey through the rich history of the Heritage Trail, a fascinating look at some of the area’s most important moments, events and figures.
The Heritage Trail Bus Tour provides participants with a unique opportunity to explore significant sites that have shaped the African American experience in the region. The tour delves into the stories, landmarks, and contributions that have been pivotal in the community’s development.
The tour will be held on Monday, Feb. 17 from 10 a.m.–noon, departing and returning from Champaign’s Douglass Center at 504 E. Grove St. The cost is $10 per adult and $5 per child (aged 17 and under), and the tour is recommended for those ages 7+. Due to limited space, reservations are required.
If you’re not familiar with the Trail, it is one of the county’s historical gems. Highlights are numerous.
Angela M. Rivers, an African American artist and curator, was co-chair, along with longtime noted educator Dr. Barbara Suggs Mason, of the Heritage Trail committee, which spearheaded the project that came to fruition in 2023.
“My 1978 (Park Street) mural resonated with the city council and community members, many remembering back to their childhoods,” Rivers explained during a Champaign Public Library webinar in 2023. “A small committee at the time determined that a series of murals centered around themes of innovation, business, social justice, education, music and other things would be the best approach. In searching for possible mural locations and where and whom to tap for resources on African American history, an idea sparked to include the proposed murals and a county-wide Heritage Trail centered around historic buildings, locations, sites, public art, churches and museums, making it accessible for visitors and residents alike. The idea became the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail Project.”
Cristy Gillespie, Experience Champaign-Urbana’s director of marketing, said the bus tour will hit a portion of what the Trail highlights.
“There’s so many different things (on the Trail),” Gillespie said. “Douglass Park was the home to a drum corps that actually competed in New York and won national acclaim in the mid-80s. The tour begins and ends there.
“There’s the transformation of Skelton Park, a sculpture by Preston Jackson featuring African American musicians. The Bethel AME Church predates the University of Illinois by four years. You can see tangible landmarks where history was made, and also the murals, which were recently completed.”
There are dozens more.
“It’s just all kinds of aspects of history,” Gillespie said. “From people to arts to the movements.”
The bus tour is limited to 35 participants, though future tours will be made available as well.