Capital Buddy Tours- Chocolate City by Don Folden

It was by chance I stumbled across Don Folden's Chocolate City tours in February.  I was looking for the best soul food in Washington D.C.  I was searching through Google and the DC Black History Night tour caught my eye.

With the expectation of being in the city for a conference I inquired about bring a few members of my party on the tour on a Tuesday evening.  Don Folden returned my call within an hour.

He's friendly.  We scheduled our tour, and without f prodding he was waiting for us inside of venue to greet us on tour dressed as driver with gloves.  Don Folden's exuberance and enthusiasm is infectious.  He knows how to draw people into his story telling.

He told us how he first came to Washington D.C. and was drawn to the district called Chocolate City.  He engaged us in the commonality of what we know Chocolate City to be, and shared elements of the Black History.

It wasn't and isn't always easy for Don Folden.  His success comes from Guerrilla Marketing and making sure that people know he gives the best of himself for every tour.

Some highlights of his Chocolate City Tour, is that it is 3 hour tour.  Actually, 3 hours is just a number.  His energy involves as long as it takes to give a thorough account of the stories that belie the Black History of D.C.

There are no souvenir shopping on this tour.  You will get insight on what Frederick Douglass was like.  He points out areas that were predominantly Black but as time passes no longer exists. Howard University is included in the tour, and stories about it's success as well as it's struggles to survive.

The content of Don Folden's tour take the guests behind the scenes that are not common in other tours.  For example, historically Black Churches and the Black Cemeteries were spots of the underground railroad.  The night tour, places reality of what it was like to hide from the bounty hunters.

Don studied parts of history such as the Snow Riots of 1835, the Pearl Affair of 1848  adding small details of what Chocolate City was like when he came to D.C.  Not a detail is left out which includes the Freedom monument of Lincoln and the MLK monument.

Outspoken, funny, and warm, Don Folden ended his tour for me at Ooh's and Aah's a local spot for Black residents. Thus I got my soul food after all.