The Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network (FAAHPN) is a professional association organized in 2001 by the John Gilmore Riley Center Museum.

FAAHPN serves as an informational and technical assistance resource in response to a growing interest in preserving Florida’s African American culture, that of the African Diaspora and that of other related ethnically diverse historic resources globally.

The Florida Black Heritage Trail Guide is a publication produced by FAAHPN that details a microcosm of African American landmarks and legacies that exist in various locations throughout the state of Florida. Though much of Florida’s African American History has been lost, this publication demonstrates a growing interest in documenting and preserving all that remains.

In addition to producing high-quality statewide publications that promote tourism and economic development, the FAAHPN provides:

• Technical Assistance to Museum & Historic Preservation Professionals!
• Content Development & Management!
• Enhancement of Organizational Resource Allocation!
• Professional Development for Staff, Board Members & Volunteers!
• Information Technology Upgrades through Hardware & Software Integration!
• VIVA Florida Partner commemorate role of the African Diaspora in Florida’s history!
• Grant, Fundraising & Private-Funding Development Training!
• Archival Research & Digitization!
• Consultation for Obtaining Historic Designation!
• Creation of Living History Exhibits and Educational Products!

Curators of the Florida Black Heritage Trail Publication

Outstanding Achievements in Tourism & Economic Development

• The Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network (“FAAHPN”) is a professional association organized in 2001 under the auspices and leadership of its Founding Director, Althemese Barnes. FAAPHN serves as an informational and technical assistance resource in response to a growing interest in preserving African American culture as well as related ethnically diverse historic properties in Florida.
• Provided research and content development for the Florida Black Heritage Trail Guide in 2005 and 2007. The guide details a microcosm of African American landmarks and legacies that exist and encourages heritage tourism in various locations throughout the state of Florida.
• Through partnerships with the Smithsonian Institute, VISIT FLORIDA®, the Florida Department of State, Black Meetings & Tourism Magazine, and others, FAAHPN has become a national leader in developing and delivering high-quality conferences, history exhibitions, publications and public education programs.
• Significant impact on businesses through contracts awarded to print companies, graphic design companies, travel agencies, communications, retail merchants, hotel/motel meeting sites, etc.
• Most recently, Althemese Barnes successfully mobilized local public and private agencies, including: Visit Tallahassee, Downtown Improvement Authority, the Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation, Florida A&M University, and the Florida Department of State, to prepare the winning bid in response to a request for proposal (“RFP”). This resulted in the FAAHPN being selected to coordinate and host a prestigious national conference in Florida’s capital city, a considerably smaller and less populated city, in comparison to prior conference sites such as Chicago, Pittsburg, Baltimore and others.

» CLICK HERE to read the Florida Black Heritage Trail Magazine online