MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A new walking trail offers visitors and residents a new Memphis perspective.
A walking tour that combines Memphis culture and history and showcases the contributions African Americans have made to the city.
“It allows visitors and residents alike to navigate these assets, learn about our history,” Paul Young, Director of Housing and Community Development for the City, said.
It is as simple as downloading an app and and lacing up your shoes and learning about sites on the trail.
“There are eight initial sites that are being highlighted but there are a number of other sites that are embedded in the app,” Young said.
It s a project that is eight years in the making.
“To see it come to fruition today is absolutely amazing,” Young said.
The trail uses beacons which are GPS sensitive and gives people on the tour a history lesson straight from the app.
“They offer a great deal of African American history, from the civil rights period, to the entertainment period, to the commerce period,” Young said.
Some of the sights on the list include the National Civil Rights museum and some new creations including a MLK reflection park and I am a man plaza.
“All of this coming together at this time, is pretty amazing and the world will get a chance to see all of it,” Deidre Malone, Head of the Memphis NAACP, said.
She says its the perfect learning experience for the entire family especially children.
“For those Memphians who want to get a taste of African American history, but also the present, you need to learn about the Memphis heritage trail,” Malone said.
