THIS MONTH...

Black History Month in the Deep South...

February is Black History Month in the US and there are many events and museums throughout our region that highlight the pivotal points in American History and the momentous events which changed the face of 20th century America.

In the years leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, the US experienced more social change in the name of civil rights than in any other period of American history.

There's history aplenty at the powerful National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis which tells the inside stories of the civil rights struggles and triumphs. But the civil rights story is also told at the famed Memphis music museums and off-the-beaten-path cultural treasures such as Slave Haven and the Ernest Withers Collection & Museum on Beale Street.

Mississippi was a crucial "battleground" in the American Civil Rights Movement. Today, there are reminders all along the Freedom Trail of the important role that Mississippi played in African-American history. A civil rights driving tour of Jackson, the state capital, will take you past the home of slain NAACP leader Medgar Evers, now a National Historic Landmark.

Honouring the legacy and life of one of Kentucky's greatest son's Louisville will debut the new 'I Am Ali' festival this year. The celebration of Ali’s legacy will include local arts and cultural groups, performances and exhibits, along with two premier girls’ basketball tournament events that will bring 10,000 young female athletes to Louisville.