This Sankofa Tour describes some of the local people and places that would help African American travelers find safety and avoid the humiliation often experienced in the North, where racial discrimination could legally prohibit Black people from entering the same spaces as fellow citizens who were white. Many variations of the now-famous “Negro Motorist Green Book” identified useful local area information for travelers. All are evidence of the resilience of Black communities to survive the 20th century’s age of apartheid.  A guidebook was used as a tool by African American travelers wanting to enjoy themselves without concerns of racism.

Civil rights activists used the travelers’ guides as part of their work, finding Black-owned guest houses and some church people’s parlors as safe meeting spots. When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended legal and de facto segregation,  many smaller independent businesses began to disappear.

Every version of the segregation-era Green Book was a valuable resource, but what is not written on those pages is where the real stories and histories are. This is our story.

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop