Dr. Araminta Sorrell brings Galveston’s Black history to life
- Bobby Stanton
- Apr 14
- 3 min read
Dr. Araminta Sorrell didn’t come to Galveston to follow a path. She came to make one. With each step of her tour – Juneteenth and Beyond Guided African American History Van Tours – she takes visitors deeper into a history most have never heard.
Before Sorrell became a tour guide, she was an educator. Today, she’s still teaching but now, her classroom Galveston. And her curriculum is the untold stories that shaped this island and the nation.
People come expecting a tour but what they leave with is something else entirely. Reflection. Recognition. Maybe even a little reckoning. That’s the power of what she does, and that’s why her work matters.
Dr. Sorrell, who holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Virginia-Charlottesville, didn’t set out to be embraced by the local history community. But now, they call her one of their own. She is more than a guide. She’s a guardian of legacy, and a bridge between generations.
For Sorrell, this isn’t just a job. It’s a mission. To honor her ancestors, to challenge the narrative, and to remind every person who walks beside her: history lives here. And it’s still speaking. She took the time out of her busy schedule to chat with Humans of Galveston.
Humans of Galveston: How do you decide which stories and figures to include on your tours?
Dr. Araminta Sorrell: That is a great question, and one I struggle with daily. Galveston’s history is incredibly rich, especially when it comes to the contributions of African Americans. There are so many heroic figures right here on the island. Take Jack Johnson, for example – the first Black heavyweight champion of the world, born and raised in Galveston. He rose to fame during the Jim Crow era, defying every racist stereotype of the time. His story, like so many others, deserves to be told. But there are so many stories that I could easily talk about for weeks. The challenge is fitting all of that richness into a tour people can take in an afternoon. Still, each story I choose reflects the can-do spirit of Galvestonians, especially those born on the island, the BOIs.
Humans of Galveston: How do local schools or organizations engage with your work?
Dr. Sorrell: I’ve had several school districts tour with me. Just last week, almost 100 high school students from the Minneapolis Public Schools came down while visiting HBCUs across Texas. They spent a day with me on Galveston Island, and it was such a powerful experience for them. We immersed them in the island’s cultural heritage – history they don’t often get in the classroom. That’s the kind of educational engagement that keeps me inspired.
Humans of Galveston: What kind of response have you received from the community?
Dr. Sorrell: To my surprise – and joy – the response from the community has been incredibly warm. Historians, genealogists, and longtime BOIs have welcomed me with hugs, kisses, and encouragement. They see me as part of the struggle, as someone who is helping to correct the misinformation that’s long distorted the truth about our people. I’ve been embraced as a teammate in this important work. We’re like a team of mighty warriors, fighting to make sure our true history is told.
Humans of Galveston: Have you seen your tours spark conversations or change perspectives?
Dr. Sorrell: Absolutely. On every single tour, someone says, “I didn’t know that,” or “Why am I just now learning this?” That’s across the board – black people, white people, young, old. It doesn’t matter. The reaction is the same: surprise, regret, even anger that so much history was hidden from them. These tours spark reflection and often a reckoning with what’s been left out. And that, to me, is a step toward healing.
Humans of Galveston: What challenges have you faced as a Black female entrepreneur in the tourism industry?
Dr. Sorrell: One of the biggest challenges has been overcoming the perception that Black history in Galveston isn’t worth sharing, or that it doesn’t exist beyond Juneteenth. People would ask me, “Why would you do that?” or “Who’s going to pay for that?” Some even said, “What are you going to talk about?” as if our history isn’t rich, layered, and essential. I was told nobody wanted to hear about slavery, Jim Crow, or oppression. But those people were wrong. There’s so much more to tell, and I’m here to tell it.
For more details or to book a tour, visit juneteenthandbeyond.com or call 409.509.6868.
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