The North Carolina African American Heritage Commission will co-host an information session on its N.C. Green Book Project, Jan. 9, 6-7 p.m. at the Greensboro History Museum Auditorium, 130 Summit Ave., Greensboro, N.C.
“The Negro Motorist Green Book” (the “Green Book”) was an annual guidebook for African-American travelers, published from 1936 - 1966, designed to help them avoid business owners who refused to serve them. The guidebook compiled listings of “oasis spaces” – welcoming hotels, restaurants, auto repair shops, gas stations and other businesses throughout most of the U.S. and even parts of Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Today, many of these safe spaces have been lost to urban renewal and sites still standing are rarely recognized for the important role they played.
The commission is spearheading a project to create an online database of these sites, facilitate community discussions and develop a travelling exhibit to highlight the history of the Green Book.
Members of the public are invited to attend the session to learn more about the Green Book, current efforts to research the North Carolina sites advertised as safe spaces for African American travelers during racial segregation, and how they can get involved with the Green Book Project.
The Jan. 9 information session is co-hosted by the Greensboro History Museum and the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.