The Negro Motorist Green-Book: 1940 Facsimile Edition

I'm old enough to remember that when we traveled to see our relatives and took our almost-a-member-of-the-family black helper for my mother (my father had tuberculosis and was hospitalized), we had to put our mother's helper up in a different motel, since most motels wouldn't accept a black guest. I didn't understand this as a child, but I sure do now! My daughter uses this book in her classroom when she teaches this part of American history. It happened, and the upcoming generation will be all the wiser for knowing about it and understanding this part of our country's legacy.

Knowledge is power.

Very nice!

On the one hand I feel like a primal scream of outrage and want to give this ZERO stars because it just never should have existed at all.On the other hand, it is such a fine example of resilience, of finding a way to make things work in an impossible world, that I want to give it TEN stars.Let's compromise at FIVE stars.It's rare to include photos with a book review. I want to make two points with these pics.1. The Table of Contents shows just how slim this book really is. A mere 48 pages cover the information available for 48 states. That is not actually one page per state. Sometimes it covers two and a half states on a single page. New York City gets more ink than anywhere else.2. There is a nice article in the middle of this slim volume that describes a trip by Greyhound bus. The second photo shows the first two pages of this article. Each reader may have a different impression or take-away so I leave it to you to read it yourself.In the 1940 described by this Green Book, the Great Depression had waned enough so people might travel because they needed to or wanted to travel. World War II had not yet absorbed the country. Jim Crow was a solid reality, and more widespread than I realized years ago.For perspective, what could the Negro Motorist could look forward to in Washington, DC? 7 hotels (including YWCA and YMCA), 4 "tourist homes," 3 taverns, 2 restaurants, 3 beauty shops (but zero barbers listed), 1 garage and 2 service stations, 2 taxicab companies, 1 country club, and 2 night clubs. Other than NYC that may be the longest listing for a single city in the book. All that information occupies less than half of one page.There are not many country clubs listed in the 1940 Green Book. I looked up the one listed for DC. I got exactly zero hits on every internet search for a country club named Grossland's. There's a message there about invisibility.I'm glad I've seen this Green Book, and at the same mighty sorry I ever saw it. It's the kind of incontrovertible piece of history that shows just how deep the white mythos of the era really was. Movies were all white. TV in the 50s was nearly all white. History textbooks of the 30s, 40s, and 50s were basically all white.Perhaps this review will in some way be helpful in bringing some attention to this little piece of history.

Very interesting piece. I would love to see if any of the places still exist. Or if anyone could write about these places. Great history piece!

It’s definitely a collector’s item. If you know, you know

The reality of Jim Crow needs to be revisited at every opportunity. This periodical was the difference between life and injury, or even death, in a country that refused people of color basic needs. The information for most establishments was basic: the names of the business or its owner, and the address. It was up to travelers to use a map or bravely ask passersby for directions, or, I presume, they could write to the business owners in advance of their trip and request reservations.There’s a handful of larger advertisements and some amusing travel essays, but overall it’s a modest publication in a good travel size. It behooves us White Americans to see this publication and learn.

My parents had this when I was growing up in the 60s. Our house was considered a host house for friends and family that came from the south. Having an opportunity to look at this book that I took for granite growing up. Didn’t realize how much of my history is connected to this book. So thankful for the opportunity to look back on it.