Developing a Cultural Destination

Presented at the ADHT Conference 2011By Julia Browne

Walking The Spirit Tours®

Black Paris & Beyond

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Walking The Spirit Tours has been offering Black heritage tours in Paris and France since 1994.

Our goal is to spread the knowledge of Black presence in Paris past and present to:

Expatriates and visitors of all cultures Local businesses along the tour routes Educational and cultural institutions Diaspora communities.

Our tours began as a one-way dialogue, curbside storytelling to African-American residents, their visiting friends, and to tourists.

This mission began before Internet became the information highway.

Creating Links in the Neighborhoods

Sensitivity to the Reaction and Interest Level of Locals and Businesses

If the business provided material or goods relevant to the tour content, we took tour participants inside i.e. music and book sellers, cafés.

The business owner reciprocated by allowing participants to freely visit their establishment, by sharing their stories of personal contact with former Black expatriates, gifting me with memorabilia. They also listened to the tour presentation and learned.

Placement of photos in their establishment. Not all contacts were welcoming, allowing tour participants to experience myth vs. reality

of blanket acceptance of African Americans in Paris today.

Collaborating with Educational and Cultural Institutions

Cultural Exchange

The first official marker honoring an African American in Paris was the initiative of a resident African American, Benjamin Davis.

The Richard Wright plaque was unveiled in February 1992 during the International African Americans and Europe Conference organized by The Sorbonne Nouvelle, W.E.Dubois Institute of Harvard University, Columbia University and University of Mississippi.

Its permanent presence provides only one of two markers of the African American presence. But it is a beacon for Paris as a Black heritage destination.

We are currently taking initiatives to place other markers in the city and in establishments.

French Heroes

French Heroes, Black Leaders

The French carefully choose whom to honor as heroes and people of distinction – those who have contributed immeasurably to the French culture.

Our tours incorporate visits to the sites, creating a trail of cultural and heritage signposts in the journey through a city that is dense with historical references.

French Heroes

Monument to Slavery at the Dumas Square.

Forging Relations with the Diaspora Community

We originally gave tours in the African/Arabic community of La Goutte d’Or. Now we endeavor to provide a more authentic experience by engaging resident guides who are deeply involved in the community.

Well-connected guides tell the community’s story in their own words, and tour participants learn from:

unfamiliar references and collaborative interaction visiting cultural centers, businesses, social organizations, galleries gaining insight into the complex relations between African and African American.

Enabling Experiences in the African/Arabic/French Community

Spreading the Word and Leaving a Legacy

Walking The Spirit Tours®

Black Paris & Beyond

www.walkingthespirit.com

Thank you.