There’s a new Black history tour rolling through Chicago that will allow people to experience the history and culture of the city’s west side through food.
The Chi-Town Soul trolley tour will take guests through the ultimate ride of visiting historical sites and Black-owned restaurants.
Organized by Gone Again Travels, Chicago’s first and only Black-owned travel agency storefront, the trolley is the first of its kind for the travel agency spearheaded by Crystal Dyer.
The tours run from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 17 and Aug. 21. Tickets for the trolley food tours are $45 and include transportation, food samples, a t-shirt, discounts, and a tote bag.
According to Block Club Chicago, those on the Black history tour will visit historical sites such as the Epiphany Center for the Arts on the Near West Side, which was once a meeting spot for Fred Hampton and the Black Panther Party.
Participating restaurants include Schweet Cheesecake and Two Sisters Catering, a grab-and-go soul food spot. During some stops on the tour, restaurant owners will board the trolley to offer food samples while giving those onboard the chance to hear more about each one got started and more about their cuisine.
Dyer’s goal has always been to “recreate the narrative” around their neighborhoods by unveiling stories of events, people and places in the area, and her latest venture is a prime example of the thriving Black-owned businesses in the community.
“They never realized that was right here in their community,” she says. “There’s so many ultra-achievers that never left our community. When they learn those different facts on the tours, it makes a whole different narrative,” adding “I want the people in Austin who have not traveled Austin to discover the beauty within. A lot of times we go outside our neighborhood looking for things they don’t realize are here.”