In 1936, victor hugo green published the first annual volume of the negro motorist green book, later renamed the negro travelers green book. From 1936 to 1966 victor green produced a guide for african american travelers that highlighted the restaurants, hotels, service stations, and nightclubs that provided service to black patrons. The green book, known variously as the negro motorist green book and the negro travelers green book, was an annual travel guide published from 1936 to 1964 by victor h. Between 1936 and 1966, the negro travelers green book or the green book as it was commonly known was an essential travel guide for black americans. The negro motorist green book smithsonian digital volunteers. It was originated and published by african american mailman victor hugo green from 1936 to 1966, during the era of jim crow laws, when open and often legally prescribed discrimination against african americans especially and other nonwhites was widespread. Full view of 1941 edition of the book that sold at auction. Omission of k does not necessarily mean inferior accommodations.
The negro motorist green book aided black travelers during. In the 1930s, a black postal carrier from harlem named victor green published a book that was part travel guide and part survival guide. The name was changed to the negro travelers green book in 1952. Cover of the 1940 edition of the negro motorist green book created by victor hugo green. For nearly 30 years, a guide called the negro motorist green book provided african americans with advice on safe places to eat and sleep when they. Alston in the negro motorist green book for 1949, are many and they are increasing because today so many more are traveling, individually and in groups. The publishers make every effort to assure the accuracy of the green book editorial information, and to maintain the high character of its advertising pages. This article chronicles the history of the most long lasting of these guides, the negro motorist green book, and explores.
This guide while lacking in many respects was accepted by thousands of travelers. Green, began producing the book in the 1930s as a parttime project, but growing demand for its information made it an enduring business. In 1936 the green book was only a local publication for metropolitan new york, the response for copies was so great it was turned into a national issue in 1937 to cover the united states. Theres a copy of the 1949 and 1956 editions of the guide on the web. In 1936, victor hugo green published the first annual volume of the negro motorist greenbook, later renamed the negro travelers green book.
Index and credits for the green book, 1961 edition. The green book later renamed the negro travelers green book became an essential reference for african americans to travel more safely and. Green, editor and publisher, introduced the green book in 1936 as a local publication for the new york city area. Green eventually opened a publishing office in harlem to support the green book and in 1947, he established vacation reservation service, a travel agency that booked reservations at blackowned establishments. The negro motorist green book was a paperback guide published for black motorists traveling in the united states in an era when they might be denied service or even find themselves threatened in many locations. The creator of the guide, harlem resident victor h. Schomburg center for research in black culture, manuscripts, archives and rare books division, the new york public library. The negro motorist green book provided african american travelers with the names and locations of businesses that welcomed their patronage. The return of the negro motorist green book thinkprogress. Published between 1936 and 1967, the guide officially known as the negro motorist green book informed such travelers of where in america. Green book helped keep african americans safe on the.
The guide listed, state by state, the restaurants, hotels, service stations, and other businesses that would welcome africanamerican travelers. The first edition of the green book was so popular, green expanded it the following year to include more states and distribute it nationally. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. This facsimile of the 1954 edition brings you all the listings, travelogues, and advertisements aimed at the black travelers trying to find their way across a country where they were so rarely welcome. The negro motorist green book, a statebystate compilation of places that welcomed black travelers.
New york native, world war i veteran, and postal carrier, victor h. Do you have a copy of the green book in your museum. The negro motorist green book was a guidebook for african american travelers that provided a list of hotels, boarding houses, taverns, restaurants, service stations and other establishments throughout the country that served african americans patrons. Green book, later renamed the negro travelers green book. The negro motorist green book, popularly known as the green book, was a travel guide intended to help african american motorists avoid social obstacles prevalent during the period of racial segregation, commonly referred to as jim crow. Negro motorist green book serial and kentucky notable. The green book, also known as the negro motorist green book, later known as the negro traveler s green book in 1952, and finally the travelers green book in 1960, was a guide for black travelers journeying within the united states and abroad. The negro motorist green book 20 question of the month jim. The green book, in full the negro motorist green book, the negro travelers green book, or the travelers green book, travel guide published 193667 during the segregation era in the united states that identified businesses that would accept african american customers. The first edition, in 1936, covered metropolitan new york only. The negro motorist green book was a guidebook for african american travelers that provided a list of hotels. Denotes the negro travelers green book recommended hotel, motels, tourist homes, etc. Traveling while black route 66 was a huge hit for nat king cole, but heres the irony.
The university libraries digital collection, the negro travelers green book. The negro travelers green book was a travel guide series published from 1936 to 1964 by victor h. Negro travelers green book, 1956 digital collections. Negro travelers green book copy paste by peter pappas. What started as a local guide later expanded to include. Motorist green bookcommonly referred to as simply the green booka travel guide for black. Published materials division, south caroliniana library. This facsimile of the 1962 edition brings you the listings and advertisements aimed at the black travelers trying to find their way across a country where they were so rarely welcome plus travel advice. The negro motorist green book promised safer travel without embarrassment. In soul food junkies, filmmaker byron hurt briefly describes what it used to be like for african americans to travel in. The green book listed businesses that would accept african american customers. Download digitized copies of the negro travelers green book, the.
The negro motorist green book was an annual guidebook for africanamerican roadtrippers. Route 66 and the historic negro motorist green book ncptt. The negro motorist green book was an annual guidebook for african american road trippers. It was called the negro motorist green book, and it helped africanamericans navigate safe passage across america well into the 1960s.
It was intended to provide african american travelers with lodging, dining, and other information necessary to stay safe and comfortable during the era of. In 1936, a travel agent from new york city, victor green, published the first edition of the negro motorist green book. According to legal research done by nypl staff, those 21 volumes have no known us restrictions, and can be used and reused freely. Compiled by victor hugo green 18921960, a black postman who lived in the harlem section of new york city, the. Public librarys schomburg center for research in black. Motoring for leisure was catching on, but green, as an african american businessman from new york city, was well aware of the difficulties the black traveler encountered. The negro travelers inconveniences, writes wendell p. The images of the negro motorist green book 1938 reproduced here are from the new york. From the 1930s to the 1960s a variety of guidebooks enabled african americans to travel safely in the segregated united states. It was originated and published by african american, new york.
Green book sites national trust for historic preservation. The green book with its list of hotels, boarding houses, restaurants, beauty shops, barber shops and various other services can most certainly help solve your travel problems. Green, an enterprising new york mailman and blackamerican travel agent. The green book was a travel guide published between 1936 and 1966 that listed hotels, restaurants, bars, gas stations, etc. In later years, the book would come to be called the negro travelers green book, eventually becoming best known as the green book an appellation given generically to several imitations. Green called it the negro motorist green book, or the green book, for short. This is the green book movie fans want to africanamerican motorists the negro motorist green book, which had by.
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