Black History

Name: Black History
Description: A taste of Black history in Oakland
City: Oakland, CA
Duration: 150 minutes
Distance: 1.5 miles
Guide: Oakland Urban Paths
Mode: walking
Features: history 
Starts at: Oakland Auditorium

Directions to Oakland Auditorium

Welcome to a Black History Tour of Oakland. This tour is an expanded version of the city of Oakland’s New Era, New Politics tour, and was first given in 2017 by the city walking tour program and Oakland Urban Paths as a celebration of Black History Month. Of course, Black history isn’t confined to a single month; similarly Black history isn’t just in a few parts of Oakland or its history—Oakland history is Black history.

There’s no way to pack all that history into one tour, but this gives a 2.5 hour taste of it. In particular, sports and music aren’t covered on this tour, but you’ll learn some about the Pullman porters, the Black Panther Party, and some of the Black educators, journalists, and leaders who have helped shape Oakland over the years.

Start the tour >

More information about this tour

tour map

Note: markers are for tour stops, not necessarily on the point of interest
  1. Oakland Auditorium
  2. Alameda County Courthouse
  3. Oakland Library and Oakland History Center
  4. Malonga Casquelord Center
  5. Oakland Post
  6. Joyce Gordon Gallery
  7. City Center
  8. City Hall
  9. Federal Building
  10. African American Museum and Library at Oakland