City's tourism bureau celebrates contributions of Black Houstonians

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It's Black History Month, but Houston First - the city's tourism bureau - has come up with something to celebrate the contributions of Black Houstonians year-round. It's called Houston Signature Experiences, and it weaves five Black contributions from the past, present, and future together for locals and visitors to enjoy.

It starts with one of the city's most recognizable and historical places at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in downtown Houston. It was built back in 1875. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places and served as Houston's first Black Baptist congregation.

There's also the Heritage Society, which tours three historic houses that tell stories from plantation to emancipation. Folks can also test out their food and drink pallets. You can immerse yourself in Southern sweets and soulful stories, which give you a taste of Southern culture through dessert.

Then, there's "This Is It Soul Food," which has all the hearty, delectable menu items you can think of when it comes to soul food. It also walks people through the history and legacy of the restaurant's recipes.

Finally, people can experience Pur Noire, Houston's first Black-owned winery. You can sip and see how one of the city's most unique businesses picks its wine from California vineyards and pairs their choices.

You can pay for each experience or mix and match and do all five. The goal is to highlight places people may have vaguely heard about and give them an in-depth experience so that Houston can join the list of other great cities as a Black History destination.

You can also visit Houston Signature Experiences for more details.

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