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Self-guided map and app unites stories of African American heroes, historic places and events

The "Road to Freedom" program, created through a partnership between the American Battlefield Trust and Civil War Trails, Inc., offers free physical and digital manifestations, a map guide available in visitor centers and distribution sites across the state and a web app with downloadable versions for Android and iOS devices. The trail highlights 88 spots across Virginia, a key Civil War battleground state and an important passageway in the Underground Railroad. Sites stretch from Alexandria, just outside Washington, D.C., to Abingdon, near the Tennessee border, and tell stories of soldiers, slaves, educators, politicians and others, marking the places where they staged rebellions, fought for freedom, educated their children, were born and were buried.
Self-guided map and app unites stories of African American heroes, historic places and events


The "Road to Freedom" program, created through a partnership between the American Battlefield Trust and Civil War Trails, Inc., offers free physical and digital manifestations — a map guide available in visitor centers and distribution sites across the state and a web app with downloadable versions for Android and iOS devices.

The trail highlights 88 spots across Virginia, a key Civil War battleground state and an important passageway in the Underground Railroad. Sites stretch from Alexandria, just outside Washington, D.C., to Abingdon, near the Tennessee border, and tell stories of soldiers, slaves, educators, politicians and others, marking the places where they staged rebellions, fought for freedom, educated their children, were born and were buried. 

An ongoing research partnership with the African American Heritage Preservation Foundation will result in adding further context to existing entries by allowing Black voices to delve into the artistic, architectural and cultural significance of included sites. The addition of new sites and curated "collections" will further enhance the experience. 

"Since 1994, the African American Heritage Preservation Foundation has worked toward the preservation, maintenance, and awareness of endangered or little-known historical sites, especially in the mid-Atlantic," said president and founder E. Renee Ingram. "We are excited to join this dynamic project and look forward to showcasing the history and legacy of important places across Virginia." 

In February 2022, the American Battlefield Trust won a Silver Award from the Anthem Awards for its work in Education, Art & Culture. 'Road to Freedom' App Telling Story of Black Virginians In Civil War Era Wins Silver In Inaugural Anthem Awards | American Battlefield Trust (battlefields.org)

In 2023 and 2024, the African American Heritage Preservation Foundation has extended its research partnership with the American Battlefield Trust that includes Civil War and African American Sites in North Carolina and Tennessee.

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The African American Heritage Preservation Foundation, Inc. provides a $10,000 grant to the Upton Planning Community, Inc. (UPC) for the restoration of Congressman Parren J, Mitchell's home in Baltimore, Maryland. The African American Heritage Preservation Foundation, Inc. has recently launched their African American Endangered Sites Matching Grants Pilot Program to support eligible 501(3) organizations to complete its restoration and maintenance projects for historic sites. The Parren J. Mitchell House represents the legacy of a pioneering civil rights leader and a significant chapter in American history. Congressman Mitchell served in the US House of Representatives for 16 years. The structure was built in 1855 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 2023.
HAI extends its sincere gratitude to our two interns from Howard University, Kolbi Holston and Farrington Asberry-Lindquist, as they complete their time with us. Just graduated fifth-year architecture students, they were a wonderful addition to our team as they worked on collections to spotlight our partnership with the AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE PRESERVATION FOUNDATION INC and its President and Founder, E. Renee Ingram. We extend our thanks, as well, to Professor Edward Dunson, Jr. AIA, at Howard University for his leadership and guidance as we established this internship program. We are excited to pursue this relationship in years to come!
The African American Heritage Preservation Foundation has created a free mobile app "African American Sites," that is available through The App Store and Google Play. The African American Sites app features more than 2,000 African American Sites located throughout the United States that include Heritage Trails, Military Sites, Museums, National Historic Landmarks, Endangered Historic Places and other historic places that focus on the rich contributions of African Americans to our nation's history. We were able to cull information from various websites and search engines to consolidate these wonderful African American Historic Sites into one application. In January 2024, a new version of the app was released!