Champaign County celebrates the lives and contributions of African Americans who built the community and contributed to its rich history. Now you can learn about more than 150 years of history and stories on the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail.
Trail co-chairs Barbara Suggs Mason and Angela Rivers – descendants of family members who first moved to the county in the 1860s – allowed their beliefs in education, history and the arts to guide their efforts as they wove their knowledge and passion into the information found along the Trail. This community-driven and volunteer-led Trail holds a wealth of information, and stories are continually added and updated on the website as new facts are verified.
The Trail’s mission strives to educate both residents and visitors about the rich cultural history and contributions of those whose stories have largely been overlooked. It hopes to inspire conversation and contribute to a better society through understanding. Plans are underway to add murals and signage along the Trail representing Black history in the county through the years.
The logo reflects the heritage of the Trail from the Salem Baptist Church on the left to the former Homer High School on the right, with the corn representing the agricultural sector and farms African Americans owned; the sun rising representing faith, hope and new beginnings; and the people represent today’s individuals exploring the history.
To learn more about the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail, visit ccafricanamericanheritage.org.
See more: Visit the Past and Present in Petersburg
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Once again black history has been swept under the rug. Thank you for the hard work of these individuals to keep history alive. Seems like somebody needs to do a news story or even a movie about this. Most people won’t ever know unless they travel the national parks and actually read the signs in the parks. I am a life long resident of Illinois and had never heard of the town or its history. Can’t wait to tell my daughters who are African American teachers Thank you again for all of your hard work and I can’t wait to visit this summer.