Discover Black Heritage – Soul of DFW Bus Tour Takes Riders on a Journey of Culture and Cuisine

Throughout Black History Month NBC 5 is highlighting local people and businesses making a difference in the community.

Since 2018. Soul of DFW Tours has taken locals and tourists on curated bus tours to visit restaurants with deep roots in DFW and other historic sites including the Joppa Community, Bear Creek, which is one of the oldest freedmen communities in Texas and St. Paul Methodist Church, which was founded in 1873 by people who were formerly enslaved.

“I hope that they’re leaving, feeling like they’ve been fed mentally, spiritually and physically, because they’re going to get food on the bus, obviously. But they’re also going to get, hopefully, some facts about Black history that they haven’t known before,” said tour creator, food writer and historian, Deah Berry Mitchell.

Mitchell says the tours have also boosted small businesses. She says at least 15 to 20% of passengers buy something from every business they visit. Some restaurants shut down just to host tour guests privately. She says the tours help people connect to the city’s history and one another along the ride.

“At the end of the day, sure, our foods may be different. We maybe grew up in different parts of different communities. But we all share the same story. And I just try to break that down for people as best I can. So that they can see the humanity of people who have lived in this in this country. and in this city, for hundreds, you know, hundreds of years. People who came before us, our ancestors. I want to pay homage to them,” said Mitchell.

The next tour is on March 25. You learn more about Soul of DFW Tours here.