Black History Month Virtual Tour

Louis Armstrong's home is one of the sites listed on Google's Black history virtual tour

In honor of Black History Month, Google has put together a list of places celebrating Black heritage and culture. Clicking on the bold, highlighted link will take one to the Google Street View to take a virtual tour of the sights. Cruise along the historic Albina district in North Portland or visit the Jimi Hendrix statue at Broadway and Pine St.in Seattle.

In addition to Northwest Black History landmarks, there is also a virtual tour for national landmarks. Clicking through the links reveals the historic music venue, the Apollo Theatre which hosted “Showtime at the Apollo and launched the careers of Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis, Jr. and the Jackson 5.

You can also see the historic site of Monroe Elementary School which is a memorial named for the Brown vs Board of Education Supreme Court decision that ended racial segregation in public schools.

Northwest Black History places:

1. Northwest African American Museum: Established in 2008, in The Northwest African American Museum serves to present and preserve the connections between the Pacific Northwest and people of African descent and investigate and celebrate Black experiences in America through exhibitions, programs and events. Address: 2300 S. Massachusetts Street, Seattle, WA 98144

2. The Albina District: The historic heart of Portland’s African American community, civic institutions such as the Urban League of Portland and the Portland Trail Blazers Boys and Girls Club call this district home. Address: Albina district of North and Northeast Portland.

3. Oregon Supreme Court: In 1853, the Supreme Court was the setting for the Holmes v. Ford case, which freed a slave family and reaffirmed that slavery was illegal in the Oregon Territory. Address: 1163 State Street, Salem, OR 97301

4. Fort Lawton Historic District, Discovery Park: This former army base served as a point of embarkation during World War II, but its connection to African American heritage goes back to the early 20th century. Starting in 1909, the base was home to the 25th Infantry Regiment, one of four all-Black regiments in the U.S. military. These were known as "Buffalo Soldiers," a name conferred to the troops by Native Americans of the Great Plains. Address: 3801 Discovery Park Blvd, Seattle, WA 98199

5. Jimi Hendrix Statue: A monument to the Pacific Northwest’s first rockstar, a life-size bronze sculpture called "The Electric Lady Studio Guitar" by artist Daryl Smith depicts Jimi Hendrix playing a Stratocaster. Address: Broadway & Pine St, Seattle, WA 98127

National Black History places:

1. Martin Luther King Memorial: A memorial for Martin Luther King, Jr., featuring a 30-foot statue of the Civil Rights leader carved into the Stone of Hope. Address: 1964 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington, DC 20024.

2. Little Rock Central High School: Historic site and school of the “Little Rock Nine,” or the students whose persistence in integrating the high school in 1950s garnered national attention. Address: 2120 West Daisy L Gatson Bates Drive, Little Rock, AR 72202.

3. Underground Railroad’s “Grand Depot”: This was known as “the Grand Depot” on the Underground Railroad, and was a major center for abolitionism. Address: Plymouth Church, 75 Hicks Street, Brooklyn.

4. 16th Street Baptist Church: Former Civil Rights movement meeting place and the target of a racially motivated bombing by the KKK that killed four girls in 1963. Address: 1530 6th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203.

5. Madame Walker Theater: A U.S. National Historic Landmark whose development was initiated by Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first self-made millionaire, prior to her death. Address: 617 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

6. Brown vs. Board of Education Historic Site: The site of Monroe Elementary School, which was named a national historic site to commemorate the Supreme Court decision ending racial segregation in public schools. Address: 1515 Southeast Monroe Street, Topeka, KS 66612.

7. Louis Armstrong’s Home: The jazz legend's former home and now a museum & National Historic Landmark. Address: 34-56 107th Street, Corona, NY 11368.

8. Mary McLeod Bethune Council House: This was first headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, and Bethune’s home from 1943 to 1949. Address: 1318 Vermont Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20005.

9. Apollo Theater: Historic music hall for African-American performers, and the former home of Showtime at the Apollo. Address: 253 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027.

10. The Birthplace of Rap: Where DJ Kool Herc is credited with helping to start hip-hop and rap music, at a house concert on August 11, 1973. Address: 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx.