A Legacy of Self-Made Men and Women
For nearly two centuries, generations of self-made African American men and women built and shaped Champaign County through their industry, intellect, creativity, and spirit of community. It would be impossible to capture every story and perspective in this vast and rich history, but the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail strives to share information that will inspire conversation and additional research.
In 2024, the Heritage Trail partnered with Keenan Dailey and Trude Namara from Visage Arts to produce a series of short videos on select topics in local African American history that can help showcase some of these stories and perspectives.
#1: Frederick Douglass’ Visit to Champaign