By Explore Asheville, powered by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority

Asheville’s Black communities and neighbourhoods were devastated by urban renewal throughout the mid-1900s. As Asheville continues to break tourism records and expand, with 12.5 million visitors bringing $2.9 billion in 2024, it’s critical to use lessons from the past to build a strong economy that benefits everyone.

Several Black community members in Asheville recognised this need in 2018 and proposed a cultural trail with four interpretive goals: to honour the accomplishments and contributions of the Black community in Asheville; to celebrate individuals and groups that supported the community; to share Black people’s agency and capacity to express individual power; and to correct misconceptions and preserve history for future generations.