Westchester County is rich in African American history and offers interesting and compelling ways to experience the contributions that people of African descent have made to our unique American identity.

With skyrocketing gas prices this summer, consider exploring what's in our own backyard. Now's the time to explore Westchester’s African American Heritage Trail. This collection of sites, buildings and locations reflect both the actions and experiences of African Americans in the evolution of the county. Thirteen of the more prominent sites are on the Trail, including Foster Memorial AME Zion Church in Tarrytown, founded in 1860, and which provided food and shelter to fugitive slaves and to this day is a religious and social crossroads for the African American community; Ella Fitzgerald statue at Yonkers Metro North Railroad Station Plaza, honoring “The First Lady of Song”; and the African Cemetery in Rye listed as both a Westchester County Tricentennial and National Historic site.

Westchester is also celebrating the rich African American jazz heritage with weekly jazz concerts all throughout Westchester County. The Events Calendar offers more information on where and when these concerts are being held, along with links to sites with more information on each of the concert series. Enjoy the hot summer nights with cool jazz.

If you need to cool off indoors, consider a trip to the Neuberger Museum of Art at Purchase College to view its outstanding collection of African art. It's strongest in the arts of central Africa, however, major objects offer artistic insights into more than 30 cultures and span a geographic area from Mali to Mozambique.