Nelson George

Take a Trip with Me, Nelson George.

Barcelona, Spain

Walking down the street on a recent trip to Barcelona, I clearly heard the sound of rap music. Looking up, I saw a young black man, maybe 19 or 20, sitting on a small metal balcony. He was blasting old school rap on the even older streets of Barcelona.

Welcome to Europe, circa 2009.

I’ll be sharing these types of stories and more in a new online community from American Airlines—BlackAtlas.com.^SM It’s a forum designed to engage, inform and entertain—an online space that looks at travel from a uniquely African-American perspective.

I’ll be your Travel Expert-at-Large, and as I explore the world, I want you to come along. Join me as I walk the streets of the LaBrera area in Milan, where you’ll find a series of connected streets filled with cafes and shops. Come with me to Memphis where I pay homage to this vibrant city, past and present. Explore a side of Los Angeles that you may have never seen. My videos, blog posts and photos will put you right in the heart of it all.

You’ll be able to share your own travel stories and recommend restaurants, hotels—even hair salons—in cities around the globe.

Cities like Madrid, where members of the Diaspora walk the cobblestone streets, propelled by the sounds of flamenco music. (Bet you didn’t know that flamenco is

really just Spanish blues music. On a recent trip, I even saw a dancer moon-walking to its infectious rhythm.)

The BlackAtlas online community is all about travel: what to do, what to see, where to eat. But we go one step further: it considers the unique needs of African-American travelers. Let’s be real: we’ve all asked, before going somewhere new, “Are there black folks there?”

We help answer that question.

It also tells you about the unique contributions African Americans have made to cities around the world. That futuristic-looking building at the Los Angeles International Airport? It was designed by Paul Williams, an African- American architect. And that’s just one example.

You’ll not only have an opportunity to share your travel stories – you’ll also be able to plan your next adventure. You can create a profile, save the articles that catch your attention and use it as a personal itinerary that you can print and carry on your next trip.

Full of information by me and contributors just like you, this venture is sure to be the premiere online destination for African-American travel, whether you’re looking for an African dance company in the Hamptons, a barber with fade skills in Rome or soul food in Paris.

The journey begins at www.blackatlas.com.

I’m Nelson George.

Catch you in the air ^SM.