Americans who follow our country's civil rights struggles have much to celebrate in early 2009.

January saw us inagurate our first African-American president, and honor Martin Luther King on his birthday. February is Black History Month.

The travel industry has not lost sight of our progress toward freedom for all Americans, and BedandBreakfast.com has assembled an extraordinary list of historic B&Bs that were actually involved in the Underground Railroad and the movement of slaves to freedom.

All Americans can relive a part of our national history. Following are just five examples of what you will find on the BedandBreakfast.com website. We like to think of them as “Freedom Inns.”

Amelia Island Williams House, Fernandina Beach, FL: According to family stories, Marcellus A. Williams bought this home in 1859, allowing escaped slaves following the Underground Railroad to use his home as a haven during their journey to freedom. Built in 1856, this mansion included a trap door in the dining room closet, offering access to a secret room where slaves could hide.

Ashley Manor, Barnstable, MA: Dating back to 1699, this historic B&B has a secret passage that connects the upstairs and downstairs, thought to be a hiding place for Tories during the Revolutionary War, and later, a temporary hideout for slaves. Allegedly, slaves climbed down a ladder, still found in the closet of the King George Suite, to reach the cellar, then fled into the night.

Across the Way B&B Fassitt Mansion, White Horse, PA: Located halfway between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, this 1845 mansion was built by Captain William Fassitt as a way to entertain guests and throw lavish parties. A known “safe house” on the Underground Railroad, it was also a frequent stop for freedom seekers heading north.

Christopher’s B&B, Newport, KY: Throughout 2009, stay in the Loretta or Beverly Rose Junior Jacuzzi room and receive two adult tickets to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Through museum exhibits and films, learn how enslaved Black Americans were able to achieve freedom against overwhelming odds.

Cambridge House B&B, Cambridge, MD: Here’s a great lodging choice for those seeking to learn about Frederick Douglass and locally born Harriet Tubman. Visit the Harriet Tubman Museum, the Bethel Methodist Church where her family worshiped, the Stanley Institute – a 19th-century African-American schoolhouse – and follow the Underground Railroad trails through Dorchester and Caroline Counties.