Now online communities and influencers are inspiring a new generation of global explorers.
ByKellee Edwards
Few people would relish being told where they can and can’t go.
But that was the reality for African Americans living in the Jim Crow era.
Mario Rigby in Zanzibar.Courtesy of Mario Rigby
Thankfully, the originalGreen Bookis no longer a necessity for the African American community.
Yet we still have concerns.
Others are charting new courses and, in turn, inspiring more Black travelers.
Toronto-based eco-explorerMario Rigbywalked from Cape Town to Cairo between 2015 and 2018, sharing his adventures on his blog.
And when we travel around the world, we show others those different representations.
The momentum continues to grow, and Rigby, Robinson, and I are far from alone.
Andcountless other influencers, like fashion-mindedCedric Wood, are motivating Black people to travel, too.
ByTanya A. Christian
In 2012, attorney Sheila Ruffin noticed a gap in the travel market.
“I thought to myself,Wow, I should change that,” Ruffin recalls.
Everywhere I turned, I was in the majority.
I didn’t stand out.
Experiencing cultures across Africa let me reconnect with my ancestors.
Mario Rigby in Zanzibar.Courtesy of Mario Rigby
The Caribbean is also key for Carl Napoleon, the founder ofCarnival Jumpers.
Some advisors strive to build community among their guests.
Cole Banks, Atlanta-based founder ofSisters Traveling Solo, also focuses on creating connections.
A snapshot taken in 1938 in Idlewild, Michigan, a resort town that welcomed African Americans and became known as the Black Eden.The Abbott Sengstacke Family Papers/Robert Abbott Sengstacke/Getty Images
“I see it happen on every single trip.
“.
Jenna Brillhart
Evita Robinson, seen in Harlem, New York.Matador Network/Courtesy of Evita Robinson
Image Courtesy of Roy Woods Jr.
Image Courtesy of Skylar Kearney
A Sisters Traveling Solo trip to Fez, Morocco.Courtesy of Sisters Traveling Solo
A tour of Cartagena, Colombia, organized by Sisters Traveling Solo.Courtesy of Sisters Traveling Solo
T+L Travel Advisory Board member Kareem George, visiting Seoul.Courtesy of Kareem George
Morning yoga in Bali, during an OMNoire retreat.Courtesy of OMNoire
