Known as “M.L.” by his family, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s early years in Atlanta are preserved and honored at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. Stop by the visitor center to pick up a map of the park, which includes the home in which he was born and lived until he was 12, Ebenezer Baptist Church where he worshipped and preached, and the King Center, where Dr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King are laid to rest.

Often called the “Father of African American History,” Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s work and legacy is preserved and celebrated at this park, which includes his “office-home” in D.C. A champion of women and mentor to many, Dr. Woodson was one of the earliest and most lettered scholars of African American history, and it was in this home that he established Negro History Week in 1926, the precursor to today’s Black History Month. Be sure to check the park's website in advance to know what's open!

Honoring the 1965 civil rights marches meant to stretch for 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery, this historic trail lets you follow the path of those fighting for equality, especially in access to voting registration. The first two marches, met with confrontation, were captured by the media and sparked nationwide outrage. The third march, made on March 21, 1965, saw upwards of 25,000 participants and five months later, the Voting Rights Act was signed.

Maggie Lena Walker devoted her life to civil rights advancement, economic empowerment, and educational opportunities for African American men and women during the Jim Crow era. Today, Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site commemorates the life of this progressive and talented woman who was the first woman in the U.S. to charter and serve as president of a bank. Tour her historic home, restored to its 1930s appearance, and explore the community where she lived and worked.

This park, 90 miles west of Atlanta in Anniston, Alabama, tells the story of a small group of individuals who inspired a nation to fight against racial segregation. “Freedom Riders” set out in 1961 to challenge discriminatory state laws and local customs on buses and in bus stations. Throughout their journey, the Freedom Riders and their supporters were attacked. This park preserves sites associated with the Freedom Riders, including the site of a violent bus burning in the summer of 1961.

One of the newest additions to the National Park System, Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument commemorates the legacies of two civil rights activists who, from their small ranch home, devoted their lives to ending racial injustice against Black Americans through local and national activism. The assassination of Medgar Evers in the carport of their home in 1963 was a catalyst for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

One of two national parks that preserve the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn, NY explores Tubman’s later years. After masterminding hundreds of rescue missions, it was here where Tubman continued to devote herself to fighting for human rights and dignity. Explore the church Tubman attended, the Tubman Home for the Aged that she founded, and the exterior of her residence, as well as her gravesite.

Natchez National Historical Park preserves sites that reflect every era of American history, including the historic home of William Johnson, an African American who was freed from slavery at the age of 11 and became a respected businessman before his murder in 1851. Johnson’s diary was published in 1951, providing a unique and detailed insight into African American life in the 19th century. Tour Johnson’s house, the nearby Melrose Estate, and the site of Fort Rosalie.

Col. Charles Young was a distinguished officer in the U.S. Army, the third African American to graduate from West Point, and the first to achieve the rank of colonel – he was also the first African American to serve as a superintendent of a national park! Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument preserves Young’s legacy, as well as that of “Buffalo Soldiers,” African American soldiers who served a country that marginalized who they were based on the color of their skin.

A couple hours southwest of Atlanta, in Tuskegee, Alabama, Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site is the training site of the first-ever African American military pilots, known as the “Red Tails.” Nearly 1,000 African American pilots were trained here, and over 10,000 African American men and women worked at the site in a variety of roles. Visit the park’s two hangar museums to learn more about the daily life of the men and women who served here.

The 1991 discovery of an African burial ground in lower Manhattan was a surprise to the workers who unearthed it as they prepared to construct a federal office building. More shocking still was its scope: hundreds of remains were found and it was estimated that at one time as many as 15,000 African Americans – many of them slaves – were buried there. Today, a memorial honors them, recognizing their African heritage and their contributions to the early development of New York City.

On the plains of Kansas, Nicodemus National Historic Site preserves the remnants of a town established by African Americans during the period of reconstruction following the Civil War. Kansas was seen as a “promised land” for formerly enslaved African Americans, many of whom headed west looking for a new life after the war. Explore five historic buildings that represent the spirit of Nicodemus – church, self-government, education, home, and business.

In September 1957, Little Rock Central High School became a critical flashpoint in our nation’s struggle for equality and inclusion. Nine African American students enrolled at the once all-white school, testing the landmark 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. Today, as the only national park operating within a functioning school, the site inspires future generations to engage with and lead important conversations about equality and inclusion.

Honoring the over 200,000 African American soldiers and sailors that served in the Union Army during the Civil War, the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C. is dedicated to the service and sacrifice that helped end the Civil War and freed over four million people who were enslaved. Sculpted by Ed Hamilton, the “Spirit of Freedom” memorial depicts three infantrymen and a sailor, as well as a scene of a soldier with his family.

Camp Nelson served as a major emancipation site and refugee camp during the Civil War, as well as one of the largest recruitment and training centers for African American soldiers. Set within a slaveholding state, the African Americans who came to the camp risked everything in the process, and Camp Nelson National Monument stands as a reminder of their incredible courage and determination.

Chicago’s first national park site honors the 1894 Pullman strike and subsequent national boycott of Pullman train cars. Workers in the town fought for better wages and living conditions, and their strike led to the formation of the first African American labor union and a strengthening among the growing labor movement in America.

Established to celebrate the origins and evolution of America’s most widely recognized indigenous musical art form – jazz – New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park hosts live world-class jazz and musical concerts designed to educate and entertain. The history of jazz is one rich with innovation, experimentation, controversy, and emotion, and this park provides the ideal setting to learn and enjoy this musical art form in the city widely recognized as its birthplace.

Frederick Douglass was a courageous, inspiring, and dynamic figure who spent his life fighting for justice and equality. Visit Douglass’s D.C. home, the beautifully preserved Victorian mansion Cedar Hill, and peruse a collection of thousands of original objects that belonged to the Douglass family. Small group tours must be reserved online and are the only way to see the interior of the home. Before you go, be sure to check the park's website to see what's open and accessible!

Considered “America’s Front Yard,” the National Mall has seen many marches, protests, and movements, and continues to serve as a backdrop for modern movements. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Today, visitors can stand on the spot where he spoke out for a more just, equal future and gaze out onto the reflecting pool where crowds gathered that day.

Louisiana’s Cane River region is a unique place, shaped as much by the river itself as by the many cultures that have settled there. Cane River Creole National Historical Park and Heritage Area preserves the rich heritage of Creole people, a diverse group descended from Native Americans, Africans who were enslaved, and European settlers of all kinds. Explore Oakland and Magnolia Plantations, two of the most intact cotton plantations in the U.S. through guided tours.