Houston Signature Experiences, launched in February, is a collection of 5 immersive experiences designed to honor black heritage and showcase the city’s black-owned businesses. Curated in collaboration with local partners, they offer a unique blend of history, untold stories and unique flavors.Â
The 90-minute Houston Signature Experiences include:
• A visit to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, established in January of 1866, just two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and six months following the liberation of Texas’s enslaved people. It stands as a beacon of the unyielding spirit and faith of those once bound by enslavement. As attendees traverse the church grounds, they become part of a story that celebrates the determination of those who fiercely held onto the land their ancestors secured with newfound freedom.
• At the Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park, groups embark on a unique journey through history. These three historic houses that tell Houston’s stories from plantation to emancipation. The 1847 Kellum-Noble House, the 1866 Fourth Ward Cottage, and the 1870 Yates House—each a UNESCO-designated Site of Memory for their ‘Slave Route Project’— stand as pillars of remembrance. Each house tells a story of endurance; each artifact is a testament to the indomitable human spirit.
• At Soul Food, each recipe is a chapter of history served on a plate. Since 1959, this storied establishment has been a gastronomic anchor in the community, weaving a narrative of unity and flavor with every meal served. Here, you don’t just eat; you partake in a ritual that honors the history of soul food and the bonds it strengthens with every shared meal. (Available only every other Saturday of the month at 10:30 a.m.)
• At Lucy Pearl’s, groups can indulge in the rich and diverse flavors of classic southern treats like sweet potato pie and peach cobbler, along with two of their signatures—the Atomic and the Betty Lou. These desserts are more than just delectable bites; they are gateways to the past, narrators of life lessons, and windows into the journey of self-discovery.
• Pur Noire Urban Wineries is a local family-owned gem—and Houston’s premier black-owned winery. Groups will learn the fundamentals of wine tasting and taste 5 premium wines with five delicious soul food pairings. Their pairings are billed as “a dialogue between two crafts, each enhancing the other to create a symphony of flavors.”
