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African American History Road Trip

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Courtesy of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
388.1 miles: 8 hours, 21 minutes
From the flashpoint of the Civil War (Charleston) to a pivotal site of the Civil Rights Movement (St. Augustine), a road trip through the Southeast U.S. is rich in black history. The narrative isn't always pretty. But wheeling past moss-draped oaks, grassy marshes, lazy rivers and the Atlantic Ocean, you'll find the beauty and peace to which every American is entitled.
Wikimedia Commons/Galen Parks Smith
1
Charleston, SC to Saint Helena Island, SC
88.9 miles: 2 hours, 7 minutes
Leaving the antebellum elegance of Charleston behind, you're soon in the scenic heart of Lowcountry. Stately oaks frame the road. The songs of tree frogs fill the air. Thanks to wonderfully preserved Old South architecture, Beaufort is a favorite location of Hollywood filmmakers. On rural Saint Helena Island, the roots of African-American Gullah culture run deep.
Recommended Stops
Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture
125 Bull St. Charleston, SC 29424
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
3550 Ashley River Rd. Charleston, SC 29414
Penn Center Historic District
16 Penn Center Cir. W. St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Courtesy of Savannah CVB
2
Saint Helena Island, SC to Savannah, GA
69.0 miles: 1 hours, 51 minutes
After departing the island you'll head for the Georgia state line. Savannah, once a major port in the Southern slave trade, offers an interesting albeit wincing look at the 19th-century black experience. The city's lovely historic district—with its antebellum homes, shady squares, cobblestone waterfront and moss-hung oaks—is thick with Southern Gothic atmosphere.
Recommended Stops
The Freedom Trail Tour
301 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Savannah, GA 31402
Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum
460 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Savannah, GA 31401
Wormsloe State Historic Site
7601 Skidaway Rd. Savannah, GA 31406
Mercer Williams House Museum
429 Bull St. Savannah, GA 31401
Wikimedia Commons/AndrewAvitus
3
Savannah, GA to Jacksonville, FL
188.6 miles: 3 hours, 28 minutes
Welcome to the trip's longest segment. Fortunately, you'll spend most of it on speedy I-95 as it parallels the Georgia coast. Along the way, a few quick detours deliver you to black history-related attractions. Jacksonville, the Sunshine State's largest city, has no shortage of touristy fun.
Recommended Stops
Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation State Historic Site
5556 US 17N Brunswick, GA 31525
Kingsley Plantation
11676 Palmetto Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32226
Museum of Southern History
4304 Herschel St. Jacksonville, FL 32210
AAA/Inspector 564
4
Jacksonville, FL to St. Augustine, FL
41.6 miles: 0 hours, 54 minutes
From Jacksonville it's a quick shot down to seaside St. Augustine. Though better known for its Spanish colonial past, the town played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. staged high-profile demonstrations here in the summer of '64. Sample St. Augustine's shopping, dining and attractions, or catch some rays at the beach.
Recommended Stops
Old Town Trolley Tours
167 San Marco Ave. St. Augustine, FL 32084
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
1 S. Castillo Dr. St. Augustine, FL 32084
Plaza de la Constitución
Cathedral Place and King Street St. Augustine, FL 32084