Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial – Washington DC

In addition to being a month full of national events and holidays, February is Black History month! I was raised to believe that February is one of the most important months of the year (outside of May, birthday!), and my family and I celebrated tidbits of Black history each day throughout the month.  These days it seems like African-Americans are making history and dispelling stereotypes left and right – word to President Obama and Gabby Douglas to name a few.  One stereotype that I work to combat everyday is the idea that African-Americans don’t, or rarely travel.  This has never been my case, but I know that I am so lucky to have a set of parents that instilled a love of travel within me at an early age and could afford to show me different areas of this country and the world that I now aim to share with you!  Fortunately, I’m not the only one! Here’s a spotlight of my favorite African-American travel blogs and bloggers.

Euromight – Simply put, Euromight is a guide to Afro-Europe.  Written as more of a news and culture website, Euromight highlights prominent Europeans of African descent in the arts and politics.  The site is a great mixture of current Afro-European events as well as historical pieces about Africa’s influence on Europe.  It even highlights the best places to find soul food in Europe and African and African-American hair stylists!  I’ll have a piece on the site soon so stay tuned!

Outdoor Afro Leadership team on a rafting trip.
Photo credit

Outdoor Afro – As a black girl who feels most at peace surrounded by nature, this travel site is very close to my heart.  Founded by Rue Mapp “Outdoor Afro disrupts the  false perception that black people do not have a relationship with nature.”  In addition including posts about hiking, biking, fishing, and skiing, Outdoor Afro is a social community that African American outdoor enthusiasts through retreats, outdoor expos and more.  I absolutely love the idea of this blog because I know firsthand about the powerful healing effects of nature.  I definitely hope to work with Rue and Outdoor Afro one day soon!

Jet Set Sarah Panama hat shopping in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Photo Credit

Jet Set Sarah – Travel and shopping? Honestly, what more could a girl want? Former Caribbean Travel + Life editor, Sarah, has combined her two passions of travel and shopping to create a website that showcases her favorite shopping spots across the globe.  Sarah’s purchases are very focused on key items that highlight the uniqueness of a destination. In her own hilarious words, “if you’re planning a trip to Jamaica, for example, and you want to commission a striking piece of original art or to find the island’s most exquisite hand-painted ceramic bowl, you’ve come to the right place. If, however, you’re lusting for a knitted tam with the fake dreadlocks attached, look for shopping tips elsewhere, please and thank you.” Ha!

Other favorites:

One Brown Girl – “A brand and a movement that uses social media (and airline tickets) to celebrate culture, diversity, humanity and travel.” Founded by travel writer Tracey Friley, this site not only chronicles exciting travel adventures but features global meetups for travel bloggers and a global initiative that gifts girls with their first passports. Awesome!

Kiratiana Travels – After winning a $20,000 fellowship for a trip around the world in 2002, Kiratiana has dedicated her life to creating a series of travel guides to destinations in the African Diaspora.  In April 2010, her first travel guidebook:
Kiratiana’s Travel Guide to Black Paris was published.  Her blog now highlights her subsequent travels!

I hope you enjoy these travel blogs as much as I do!