Black History Month is in full swing and many companies in the travel and hospitality industry are recognizing and honoring the achievements of Black Americans and their contributions throughout U.S. history. Here’s a sampling of just a few cool initiatives we’ve heard of:

  • American Airlines and Barbie partnered to honor the legacy of Bessie Coleman, the first Black and Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license in 1921. To celebrate her birthday, customers flying Flight AA771 from Dallas-Fort Worth to New York on Feb. 2 received the newly released Barbie® Inspiring Women™ Series Bessie Coleman doll.
  • Disney Resorts is celebrating its Black employees, consumers and fans through several events at its parks and resort destinations. At Disneyland, for example, it’s featuring a “Celebrate Gospel” showcase, with performances by award-winning gospel music stars, recording artists and community choirs.
  • Hilton Hotels is writing blog posts about some of its Black team members “who embody the light and warmth of hospitality and work to make each guest’s stay special.” In one post, Hilton featured a doorman named Guy Burton, “whose smiling greetings have made him a highlight of the guest arrival at the Washington Hilton — and have been for nearly 30 years.”
  • The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau is celebrating Black History Month with the launch of “Experience Little Rock in Color,” an interactive video series that features local Black community influencers as they discuss their experience in the capital city.
  • Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is focusing on advancing Black entrepreneurs on their path to hotel ownership through a program it launched earlier this year called BOLD by Wyndham. BOLD, which stands for Black Owners and Lodging Developers, aims to expand awareness for the unique challenges faced by Black entrepreneurs while using the scale and resources of Wyndham to help address those challenges and increase the number of Black hoteliers.
  • In a recent Delta Airlines town hall meeting, BOLD (Delta’s Black employee business resource group) highlighted Black entrepreneurship and the importance of suppliers reflecting the world the company serves. Charles Woodson, an 18-year NFL veteran and Intercept Chardonnay founder whose wine can be experienced in Delta’s Sky Clubs, shared the importance of exposure, opportunity, strategic partnerships and removing barriers.

Are you doing anything at your company to celebrate Black History Month? Please let us know; we would love to feature your organization!