Savannah, Ga. – As one of the oldest cities in the US, Savannah is well known for its rich vibrant history and its many historical landmarks. This Black History Month, Chatham Area Transit is promoting education and the exploration of the many contributions African-Americans have made in the city with the release of the first CAT Black History Landmark Tour Map.
CAT has produced a custom-designed bus route map featuring six historical landmarks in Chatham County that are significant to Black history and culture. The six locations featured on the map are the First African Baptist Church, the Laurel Grove Cemetery, the King-Tisdell Cottage, the Beach Institute, the Savannah African Art Museum and the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters.
“This campaign — a celebration of Savannah’s rich Black history — is in line with CAT’s goal to be a community leader that positively contributes to the overall success of community. It helps demonstrate our ability to be seen as more than just a transportation provider,” said interim Chief Executive Officer Valerie Ragland. “We consider ourselves fortunate to be in a position to help raise awareness of these important local institutions and of the significant contributions of African-Americans in our community’s development. I think our riders and the community at large will be as excited about this campaign as I am.”
Ragland says the map was designed, in part, to encourage the community at large and especially those who do not regularly ride the bus, to hop on board to explore the city.
“CAT bus service is one of the most affordable ways to see our beautiful city and to explore all the historical sites we are lucky enough to live, work and play among,” said Ragland, only the third African-American and second Black woman to lead CAT in its 34-year history. “We are always looking to create opportunities to promote education and exploration on our buses.”
The Black History Landmark Tour Map, which features information about each site on the back, will be distributed to riders and made available to CAT’s partners for dissemination. It can also be downloaded from CAT’s website at http://catchacat.org/media/black-history-month-2021/. In addition, interior signs have been installed inside CAT’s buses to highlight the locations identified on the map.
For those who prefer to use cell phones or tablets to access the Black History Landmark Tour Map, CAT has published an interactive map on our website and on our CAT Facebook page.
Other significant locations, in addition to those included on the map, will also be promoted in CAT’s community newsletter, the CAT Outbound, and on various social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.