Press play above to view the video previewing the app.
Several years ago while visiting Paris, Yolanda Young joined a tour group exploring the city’s relationship with the African diaspora. These “Black Paris” tours have become popular since The New York Times and TV show “Atlanta” highlighted them. While Young found the in-person tour interesting, she thought a walking tour app would be more convenient and economical in addition to being educational and entertaining.
“When I realized what I wanted didn’t exist, I worked with app developers to create it,” said Young, whose Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, which runs through Nov. 6 and allows backers to pre-order the app, reached its $10K goal in 10 days. Only about 35% of Kickstarter projects succeed at all.
“Paris is the most visited city in the world and host to the 2024 Summer Olympics, making the City of Lights an ideal place to launch the Black Diary 1887 franchise,” said Young, who is extending her walking tour app brand centering Black people in cities across the world.
For Young, the ideal crowdfunding platform was Kickstarter, mainly for its diversity and support of diverse creators. Both its CEO and CFO are Black, and the company has committed to featuring projects by Black creators on its social media, newsletters and website platforms. Young also applied for Kickstarter’s Forward Funds, which partners with foundations, nonprofits and organizations to fund projects by creators of color.
African Americans have a rich history with Paris. Following its abolition of slavery in 1794, France became a haven for Black people, who for centuries migrated there and were treated with a dignity not found elsewhere. The emergence of World War 1 and the subsequent rise of jazz in France laid the foundations for a bustling African American community, and opened doors for Black performers, artists and intellectuals. Frederick Douglass kept a travel diary during his stay in Paris in 1887. Young named her walking tour app Black Diary 1887 in honor of Douglass.
In addition to being able to view the app virtually from home or with GPS tracking in Paris, Black Diary 1887 users will be able to attend in-person events like jazz concerts, literary discussions and intellectual salons. Black Diary 1887 is especially interested in exploring the history of French-speaking African nations.
There will also be a section featuring shops, nightclubs and other establishments frequented by Black people, as well as curated walking tours or spontaneously enjoy the Black history surrounding users.
