During Black History Month, National Harbor Launches African American Travel Self-Guided Tours for Year-round

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md., Feb. 25, 2021—In celebration of Black History Month, National Harbor has launched African American travel programs, sites and locations throughout the property and surrounding region.

National Harbor is the ideal location to stay when visiting Washington, D.C. and surrounds and the property provides a wealth of African American history and culture. National Harbor is just minutes from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and the National Museum of African History and Culture and other interesting locations and educational programs. With its beautiful riverfront location, eight hotels and more than 40 restaurants, National Harbor is the perfect home base to stay and explore the property and the region.

National Harbor has 12 restaurants and retail shops that are Black owned and another two at Tanger Outlets National Harbor. The destination that attracts more than 14 million visitors annually, has become a haven for successful Black entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs have amazing stories from The Furlough Cheesecake where two sisters turned to making cheesecakes initially out of their home during the government shutdown and were so successful that they opened their bricks-and-mortar location during the pandemic, to a veteran couple who found a solution for their daughter’s chronic skin allergies by opening their own natural bath and body store—BrookieGirl. The ZAAF collection of beautiful leather and woven goods from Ethiopia was founded by Abai Schulze whose life journey took her from an orphanage in Addis Ababa to the U.S. Through her store, she’s able to give back to the artisans in her birth country.

MahoganyBooks will open its second store at National Harbor on Juneteenth of this year. The store sells books for, by or about the African diaspora. Named in honor of their daughter, Mahogany, owners Ramunda and Derrick Young were recently honored to have a surprise guest visit their online book club—President Obama!

National Harbor celebrates renowned artists, all local with artwork throughout the property and in the MGM National Harbor by African American artists Sam Gilliam, Martha Jackson Jarvis and Cheryl Foster. Other artwork on the property depicts famous African Americans such as Frederick Douglass and Louis Armstrong and provides a walking tour narrative on the art and the artists. The state of Maryland also provides a Frederick Douglass driving tour that ends at the statue in National Harbor. Douglass was born in Maryland.

Other areas to explore close to National Harbor include Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate where the lives of the enslaved is presented in “The Enslaved People of Mount Vernon Tour,” along with 350 items in the museum exhibit, “Lives Bound Together: Slavery at George Washington’s Mount Vernon.” Tributes at the estate’s slave memorial are held daily.

The Accokeek Foundation’s National Colonial Farm has an historic interpretation through the eyes of Cate Sharper, a woman enslaved in Maryland in the 18th century. Her story is one of resilience and perseverance as well as unthinkable exploitation and hardship.

For more information on travel ideas and day trips at National Harbor, click here; or visit www.nationalharbor.com.

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About National Harbor

Situated on the banks of the historic Potomac River and just minutes from the nation’s capital, National Harbor is a waterfront resort destination unlike any other. National Harbor is home to eight hotels including two of Maryland’s Four Diamond rated hotels—Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center and MGM National Harbor. Also within National Harbor is Tanger Outlets’ 85 designer brands. The vibrant Waterfront District at National Harbor features boutique shops, restaurants and entertainment options along picturesque promenades as well as the iconic Capital Wheel, a 180-ft observation wheel and the Guide by Cell outdoor art gallery tour. National Harbor typically welcomes more than 14 million visitors a year. For more information, visit www.NationalHarbor.com.

Vicki Bendure
Bendure Communications, Inc.
202-374-9259
Vicki@bendurepr.com