History
George Washington Carver statute. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick
“A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.”
— Moslih Eddin Saadi
No matter where you go, every place has a story and historical travel unpacks those stories.
From great struggles against oppressive forces to human ingenuity, the people and the places who have defined significant eras in human history move many to travel see where history was made. Travel through the historical places, see and observe what was then and how things are now. Every place has evolved over ages and become what it is today , hence you must visit history to understand the struggles and changes that came through with time.
Being able to walk where history was made, seeing the places that shaped legendary figures or experiencing life as our ancestors did, historical travel allows history to come to life in ways that transcend a history book.
As a Southern-born white woman, incorporating Black history sites into my travel plans never crossed my mind… until I married a Black man.
Hint: You won’t find it in Louisiana. “We really cherish all our Mardi Gras traditions here. We’re very proud of them.” It was that sentence uttered by the woman at the museum’s front desk that got my attention. I had certainly never thought of anything about Mardi Gras as a cherished tradition. This gave me an inkling that I was about to get a serious education for my $8.00 admission. To find the truth about Mardi Gras and its traditions, travelers need to visit the Mobile Carnival Museum in downtown Mobile, Alabama. Street view of the Mobile Carnival Museum. Photographed by Scot Terry. (Public Domain) My guide went on to say, “New Orleans has the larger Mardi Gras. Theirs is five times the size of ours, but ours is family friendly. You’d get arrested in Mobile if you tried half the stuff that they get away with on [...]
The small village of Cemoro Lawang is perched on the fringes of an undulating stretch of fine volcanic sand. This is Laut Pasir which, in Javanese, means Sea of Sand. My hotel, Bromo Permai, has a charming lobby that overlooks this unsettlingly unearthly territory.
Amelia Island is a blend of cultures that lived under eight flags. It was a haven for pirates, con men, and hardworking settlers from many countries. From the Timucuans who met the first French and later Spanish settlers, to the Jim Crow era and the founding of American Beach, where African Americans could frolic freely, it has a unique history and offers a perfect vacation spot with fewer crowds than better known Florida beach towns.
In his sleek and self-illustrated volume ‘Jakhan Choto Chilam’ (When I Was a Child), the great Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray vividly portrays kaleidoscopic cameos of Calcutta (now Kolkata) of the interwar years, a city where he grew up.
Our Creole cultural exploration takes us just outside New Orleans to the Old Mississippi River Road where we'll share the story of a Creole family and a plantation named Laura--voted "Best history tour in the USA" by Lonely Planet Travel and a top travel attraction in Louisiana.
Picture this – it's the last day of the year, and everywhere you look, people are gearing up for a night of celebration. New Year's Eve has this enchanting vibe, a mix of saying goodbye to the past and embracing the unknown of the future. One thing that adds that extra sparkle to the festivities is the mesmerizing display of fireworks that paints the night sky with bursts of color.
Kwanzaa, the vibrant and culturally rich holiday that celebrates African heritage, unity, and community, is observed by millions of people worldwide. As the holiday gains widespread recognition, communities around the globe come together to commemorate the principles and traditions of Kwanzaa. While the celebrations vary in scale and style, some locations stand out as hosting the largest and most impactful Kwanzaa festivities.
Kwanzaa, a celebration deeply rooted in African heritage, offers a unique opportunity for individuals across the globe to come together in unity, reflection, and festivity. In this article, I will delve into the rich history of Kwanzaa, explore its profound meaning, examine where it is celebrated, assess its acceptance on a global scale, and understand why it is observed the week following Christmas.
Sunlight streamed in as I parted the window curtains of the double-decker luxury bus my husband and I were taking from Mumbai to the popular summer destination of Mahabaleshwar, 264 kilometers East of India’s biggest city. Outside, low-hanging tufts of clouds touched the opulent carpet of green that rolled down the hills.
Hidden behind Bucharest’s Soviet-style apartment blocks are the traces of the city’s once thriving Jewish community, 70,000 people strong, who lived in the capital before World War II and Soviet demolition nearly obliterated their culture.
I didn’t know a single thing about Detroit when I moved here a year ago. Most people plan where they want to move but when your spouse is in medical school, you don’t always have the luxury of choice or time.
