Traveling During Jim Crow
Photo: Outdoor photo of a woman riding in a car, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.Â
During the segregation era, discriminatory laws, and practices made traveling by car a difficult and even dangerous experience for African Americans. Along the nation’s highways, black travelers routinely denied access to basic services like gas, food, restrooms and lodging. Stopping in an unfamiliar place carried the risk of humiliation, threats, or worse. To find safe and friendly accommodations, travelers relied on a network of shared advice, exchanged by word of mouth and also published in travel guides such as the Green Book.
Photo: 1940 edition of the Negro Motorist Green Book.Â
Published from 1936 to 1966, the Negro Motorist Green Book listed motels, restaurants, service stations, and other accommodations that served African Americans. Victor H. Green, a New Jersey postal worker, created his namesake guide to help black travelers safely navigate the segregated realities of Jim Crow America. Green used his contacts in the postal service, as well as input from traveling salesman and business owners, to complete the listings, and partnered with the Standard Oil Company to distribute the Green Book at Esso gas stations.
Explore the 1941 edition of the Green Book: s.si.edu/2tIJThv