LANDMARKS
The U.S. Civil Rights Trail launched in 2018 as a collection of churches, courthouses, schools, museums, and other landmarks across 15 states and the District of Columbia that played a pivotal role in advancing social justice in the 1950s and 1960s, shifting the course of history. Part cultural experience and part pilgrimage, the trail is a rite of passage for those seeking to learn from our past and build hope for our future.
STORIES
From powerful speeches to brave sit-ins and unifying marches, the fight for civil rights in America can be told through countless sites and stories that have the power to awe and inspire everyone.
EXPERIENCE
Walk in the footsteps of giants. Actually, visit the places where the Civil Rights Movement was forged. Create your itinerary and see firsthand how the face of a nation was changed forever.
Virginia currently has 6 sites on the US Civil Rights Trail:
- Gloucester Museum of History in Gloucester County
- Robert Russa High School & Robert Russa Moton Museum in Farmville
- Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History in Danville
- Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail in Fredericksburg
- Virginia Civil Rights Memorial in Richmond
- Caroline County Historic Courthouse Campus in Bowling Green
VTC’s own President & CEO, Rita McClenny, serves as Vice Chair of the US Civil Rights Trail Marketing Alliance.
Interested in being added to the trail?
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
The U.S. Civil Rights Trail was designed to motivate people to learn more, see more and feel more. The website can tell the stories, but the emotional weight of those stories cannot be fully absorbed without standing in the exact spots where sacrifices were made and the direction of history was changed.
INVITATION
Join us in sharing the U.S. Civil Rights Trail and the journey to freedom.
CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP
- The following criteria will be taken into consideration in determining an applicant’s eligibility for inclusion in the U.S. Civil Rights Trail and in corresponding marketing materials – including the website, CivilRightsTrail.com.
- Only sites that are considered significant to the U.S. Civil Rights Movement during its height (1950s and 1960s) and provide a meaningful visitor experience will be chosen to join the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. The highest priority will go to landmarks where events impacted congressional legislation or Supreme Court decisions that extended racial equality in terms of public education, public accommodations or voting rights. Also, museums or locations that contain significant displays and interpretations of events from the civil rights era shall be considered.
- The U.S. Civil Rights Trail Marketing Alliance, in cooperation with a review committee of historians, academics and travel professionals, will consider all applications submitted between January 1 and July 15. All applicants will be notified by August 30 regarding the status of their submission.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Provide destination name, physical address, director, mailing address, office phone number, email address, website address, days/hours of operation, cost of admission, estimated total visitors last year, estimated number of student visitors, estimated number of group tour guests, history designation, most meaningful “claim to fame” in connection with the Civil Rights Movement, articles/magazines/newspaper clippings that portray the role the site played in the movement
- The Alliance encourages applications to be accompanied by a letter of endorsement from a member state of the US Civil Rights Trail Marketing Alliance, LLC or letters of recommendation from other city, state, or national sources
- Provide written documentation regarding how your nomination meets the criteria
- If approved, applicants agrees to provide a contact, brief word description, 8-10 high res photos, one-time of $3,500 to cover the associated cost of adding the site to the USCRT.