The African American Music Trails of Eastern North Carolina is now under the stewardship of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission.
North Carolina was one of the first states in the nation to celebrate its music heritage by researching and developing music trails.
Officials with the North Carolina Arts Council say they developed the trails 2013 to celebrate some of the most transformative figures in the history of jazz, gospel, and popular music.
For at least a century, African American musicians from Kinston and the surrounding region have played key roles in the development of several forms of American music: jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, and gospel music.
The cultural trail also includes The Kinston Music Park, which was dedicated in 2014 to celebrate the important contributions of eastern North Carolina musicians.
