City of Edinburgh Tour: African American Liberators Trail

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026 at 11:00 am to Fri, 13 Mar, 2026 at 01:00 pm UTC+00:00

National Library of Scotland | Edinburgh

National Library of Scotland
Publisher/HostNational Library of Scotland
City of Edinburgh Tour: African American Liberators Trail
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Take a walking tour through Edinburgh's connections with 19th century African American liberators, from Ida B. Wells to Frederick Douglass.
About this Event

Professor Celeste-Marie Bernier and Dr Nick Batho will guide you to sites where African American freedom-fighters, philosophers, orators, and authors lived, wrote, spoke, and worked in the ‘cause of Freedom’ in Edinburgh.

Highlights of the tour include the places where Ida B. Wells, Frederick Douglass, Ellen Craft, William Craft, Josiah Henson, and Amanda Berry Smith delivered heart-soul-spirit-touching speeches to audiences in their thousands.


The tour will start at the National Library of Scotland main entrance. It will last approximately one and a half hours, ending at the Assembly Rooms on George Street. Weather appropriate clothing and footwear is advised. Everyone is welcome on this tour which is suitable for adults and families. The route has been designed to be accessible to wheelchair users.

Please get in touch with us if you have any access requirements you think we should know about.


About the guides

Professor Celeste-Marie Bernier is Professor of United States and Atlantic Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Dr Nick Batho is a historian of United States cultural politics and lectures at Durham University.



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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

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