Civil Rights Tour of Nashville kicks off Black History Month

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Civil Rights Walking Tour of Nashville returns Saturday, February 4, for its first in-person tour since March 2020.

United Street Tours allows visitors to hear personal stories of local heroes, visit the location of Nashville’s first sit-in, and learn about Diane Nash, the Civil Rights leader who trained students in non-violent resistance and protest.

“There are two women of the Civil Rights Movement who have really inspired me,” said Chakita Patterson, founder of United Street Tours. “In elementary school, I was taught that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man because she was so tired from a long day’s work. As I got older, I began to realize actually she was a part of a larger plan and a larger movement to desegregate public transportation.”

Patterson said she looks up to Rosa Parks and Diane Nash who became one of the most respected student leaders and organizers during the Civil Rights Movement in Nashville.

“I really appreciate how she approached the mayor and basically challenged him and said, ‘Hey we are not going to give up the fight for equality,’” Patterson said.

The National Museum of African American History and Nashville Sports Museum are new additions to Patterson’s Civil Rights walking tour.

”Since 2020, so much has changed in downtown Nashville,” Patterson said.

Tours take place Thursday through Sunday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tours are 90 minutes long. They start at the Nashville Visitor Center on Broadway. You can learn more about the tours here.

Private walking and bus tours are also available to schedule in advance.

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