Unlock black history with TheGrio.com and earn a foursquare badge
To celebrate Black History Month (celebrated each February in the US), TheGrio.com and foursquare have teamed up to offer a special Black History badge. You can earn the badge by following theGrio on foursquare and checking in at their recommended black history sites around the country.
They’ve left tips at a nice range of more than 100 places all over the US, like this one at my hometown National Underground Railroad Freedom Center:
This museum is dedicated to the story of the enslaved that crossed the Ohio River (which separated the free states from the slave states) and traveled along the Underground Railroad.
In addition to the badge, they’ve chosen a group of 100 “History Makers in the Making.” The group highlights African-Americans in business, education, sports, science and the environment, media, service and activism, politics, health, pop culture, and the arts who are making a difference. They’ll be featured throughout the month on NBC’s media properties.
UPDATE: Foursquare’s Director of Business Development, Tristan Walker, is among those highlighted on the list of History Makers in the Making. His profile is featured on the site.
TheGrio.com is owned by NBC News and covers stories reflecting and affecting the African-American community.
What do you think of the new badge?
/Spotted via Black Web 2.0
I tweeted to them a bit ago about adding some Ernie Davis related venues to their list. Partly b/c I grew up in and am near Elmira but also partly b/c to me, he seems like a pretty big part of Black History.
First AA to win Heisman Trophy seems like a pretty big deal in some ways.
Why does the black history month badge feature a white figure?
A white guy on a blue field for a black history badge, oh yeah. Maybe for St. Patrick’s Day you could a black guy on a red field. Really !?!
LOL. Brilliant
Agreed! WTF?
I’m just really annoyed that there is nothing listed in Oakland, CA, where I live. HELLO!?!? THE BLACK PANTHERS WAS FOUNDED IN OAKLAND!
Madam CJ Walker opened her first hair school in Pittsburgh Pa. I am however glad that they noted the Negro baseball league on here though (Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Gray’s)
nothing whatsoever in California or the SF Bay Area? Lame..
Serena – only an African American museum in Los Angeles and a state park in Central California. However, nothing in the Bay Area. Perhaps the Grio will add more venues in the upcoming days.
http://foursquare.com/venue/16244531
So is the Harlem Heritage and Cultural Center REALLY a strip club…or did they not go through these venues thoroughly?
Agree with prior comments, white guy in the badge for celebrating Black History Month? Let’s consult AskMen.com and see if that makes us a better man.
how much checkins do you need to get the badge? In Hawaii there is only 1 place featured.
August Wilson now has a multi million dollar facility named after him, in Pittsburgh. No mention of that either.
Sherry and Serena, as an Afro-Cuban Bay Area resident I was disappointed that there were no spots reflecting the Black Panther Party movement listed on their Foursquare page so I tweeted them. They added the West Oakland Branch Library which is on the BPP’s official tour. Yay! Here is the link to the venue: http://foursquare.com/venue/1284213
Shelby, I am sure if you tweet them the venue and why it is relevant they might just add it. =)
When is it live, how many checkins?
2 Check-ins at recommended Venues after following thegrio
Thank you for your help, Lidia-Anain! I guess we need one more place in the Bay Area. Apparently we need to two check-ins in order to receive the badge.
Is it 2 check in’s to different locations or 2 check in’s total ?
I’ve checked in two days at the same location and it hasn’t unlocked…
WOW this is GREAT!! I agree the badge could have been better…but it’s still a honor!
same here I checked in 2 days to the only saint Louis location, it actually made me the mayor and the badge didn’t unlock….
i follow The Grio, checked into Houston’s Buffalo Soldeirs Museum, and even shouted out Black History Month, and it didnt unlock. :-/
I visited the West Oakland Library and checked but no unlock. I then went over to the DeFremery House across the street where the Black Panthers met. I ended up meeting two gentlemen about the history of that area and just black history from their perspective. It was very enjoyable, I’m glad I got to connect, even if I didn’t get the badge. Did I do something incorrect? I followed Grio and everything.