This Juneteenth, Kentucky has introduced its official African American Heritage Trail, highlighting nearly 50 historic sites tied to Black history across the state.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Kentucky Department of Tourism, the Heritage Council, and the Historical Society. The trail includes museums, historic churches, cultural institutions, and monuments across 28 cities, recognizing pivotal people and places in Kentucky’s Black legacy.
Governor Andy Beshear helped launch the trail at the Muhammad Ali Center on June 16. “The trail is a bridge between education and exploration that elevates voices too often left out,” he told Travel + Leisure, noting its economic and cultural impact.
Key stops include the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, the Downtown Civil Rights Trail in Louisville, the SEEK Museum in Russellville, and the historic Hotel Metropolitan in Paducah. Simmons College of Kentucky, one of the state’s oldest HBCUs, is also featured.
Other notable sites include the Portal 31 Coal Mine, which honors Black miners, and the “Black Horsemen of the Kentucky Turf” exhibit at the Kentucky Horse Park, which explores the role of Black jockeys in racing history.
Spanning regions from the Western Waterlands to the Cave Lakes, the trail offers a new path for exploring Kentucky’s Black heritage.
