Even though I have taken many business trips to the Big D, I haven’t had the chance to put my Mizunos to work. On this trip I finally got the chance.

As I stepped from the coziness of the downtown Fairmount into the chilled November air, I was reminded of something: over 4 decades ago, when I was a mere 3rd grader in Macon, Georgia, we lost a great advocate for civil rights and black people in JFK. And it happened at a location not far from where I stood. Suddenly, I flashed back to the plate that hung on my mother’s living room wall. It bore the images of JFK, MLK and RFK. (If you are a boomer from the south you know what I’m referring to).

I decided not to run to The Grassy Knoll and back to the past, I took the concierge’s suggestion to hit the Katy Trail, which was only about 3 quarters of a mile from the hotel.

I hit it at the beginning, which is right by the American Airlines Arena (where the Mavericks play). if you are looking for a landmark. About a mile …

Most people only think of professional sports teams when they think of Dallas, but the city is much more than just the Cowboys, Mavericks, Rangers and Stars. Dallas is a growing, thriving city full of exciting new entertainment districts, dining, shopping, hotels, arts and cultural institutions—with more on the way. There is something for everyone here in the “Big D”!

Named as one of the best places for African-Americans to do business by Black Enterprise Magazine, Dallas has a thriving African-American community that is making moves to ensure that our city is an amazing place for Black professionals to visit. There are festivals, annual events and permanent venues and institutions that cater to the soulfully sophisticated tastes of today’s urban traveler. Illustrations of African-American contributions can be found throughout the city in everything from the architectural style of the Tenth Street Historic District to the artistry and soul that pulses through the South Dallas Cultural Center.

Whether you’re in search of a good plate of food, amazing live music or an experience that’s a little more off the beaten path, you are in for a treat! With more restaurants per-capita than New …

Designated as a historical district in 1993, the Tenth Street Historic District is the oldest, relatively intact Freedmen's Town in the nation. Many of its original buildings are still standing, and clear evidence of its importance and historical richness survives in the Oak Cliff Cemetery, the city’s oldest public cemetery, established in 1846.

The district was a starter neighborhood for African-Americans that was created soon after Emancipation and is roughly bounded by E. Clarendon, 8th, and Plum Streets. Most of the remaining houses were built between 1890 and the early 1940s in various folk designs: shotgun, double shotgun, and camel back.

Tenth Street is a great place to see a first hand view of post-emancipation living and is walking distance from the Bishop Arts District. The B.A.D. is sprinkled with fun and funky shops, eateries and boutiques and it’s a great place to just walk around and soak in the sunshine.