The Never to Be Erased Bus Tour will journey to several southern states to visit venues dedicated to black history and culture.
Museum founder and director George Bayard III says the name of the tour is significant.
“One reason why we started this project was the whole idea of black history being erased in schools and in library and we thought that, we're part of the association of African American museums and we know that there's over 1200 African American museums around the country.”
The five-day/four-night bus tour will visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, the International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina and the Muhammad Ali Center and Black Heritage Museum in Louisville, Kentucky plus other sites.
Summer Hickok is the administrative coordinator at the Grand Rapids museum and says the tour is about connections.
“What passengers last year said that they took away the most is you really have a sense of belonging in a grand scheme. They said that half of the fun was visiting the different museums but also being on the bus itself with all the different people who were traveling as well being able to tell stories to each other and listen and have a place to be heard.”
The trip runs the second week of October and tickets run from $800-1000.
Details are on the website of the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives.
