FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (WVNS)– There is a new way for people to learn more about the rich African American heritage in southern West Virginia.

The African American Heritage Driving Tour is a joint effort between the National Park Service, the West Virginia Humanities Council, the National Coal Heritage Area, and several other organizations.

The self-guided tour is made up of 17 stops spanning from Summersville to Hinton.

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve District Supervisor Dave Bieri said when planning out the tour, the most important concern was telling stories that might not otherwise be told.

“So when we put this together, we kinda thought about the story first,” said Bieri. “We wanted to focus on all the different aspects of African American heritage in the New River Gorge.”

Some of the sites on the tour are inside the park, but many are not. Each site tells a different story related to African American Heritage, from coal mining, railroads, the Hawk’s Nest Tunnel disaster, and many more.