The Negro Motorist Green Book, 1949

[XemaSab]

http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Race/R_Casestudy/Negro_motorist_green_bk.htm

[Number23]

1. Dagnabbit, I can't get this to open!

Synopsis, please??

Although I'd wager it's a friendly guide to black motorists about what restaurants, hotels etc. are friendly to "our kind" and what places they should make DAMN sure they are out of before dark.

[XemaSab]

2. It doesn't say where to avoid

It just gives places to get a haircut, hotels, restaurants, bars, and so forth.

One of the interesting things about it is the sponsorship by Ford and Esso. :P

The PDF took AGES to download for me. :P

[Number23]

3. That sounds really cute. I wish I could get it to open.

Thanks for posting it anyway. :)

[XemaSab]

5. You're welcome.

:)

[Kind of Blue]

6. Maybe it's a good thing your computer

couldn't open it. The page totally crashed mine. No matter what I did, I just couldn't stop it from opening the page and crashing again. Obviously, I'm back up but that was very strange indeed. I have a feeling whatever it was, it's not done yet.

[jmm]

4. Thanks for sharing!

Of course I had to search for local businesses. I'm not sure if any of the places listed in my area are still in business but I do know some of the addresses.

For anybody having difficulty getting into it here's the first page-

[Kind of Blue]

7. I love this line: "There will be a day sometime

in the near future when this guide will not have to be published."

Hits home for me because about 10years ago when my husband - who is white - and I were going on a road trip from SoCal to the Bay Area to visit his brother and family, my late father-in-law sat us down and told us exactly what towns to avoid, since we were making a serious trip out of it that would take a few days. At first I thought that he was joking. But he was not.

It really unnerved me :scared: but we totally followed his advice. Thanks for sharing the page. I can see this book being updated and still being useful today.

[Number23]

10. Oh girl, I love that line too.

But after reading your post and seeing what you went through not even ten years ago, it's a shame that what the people who created this guide hoped would happen has obviously not come to pass.

[kwassa]

11. Which towns did he tell you to avoid?

About 20 years ago my ex and I did that same road trip, or trips, as there was more than one. We really were treated well everywhere we went. We did the coast highway from LA to San Francisco, and some more inland places around the Bay, and Napa Valley. Another trip had us staying in Cambria and visiting the Hearst castle in San Simeon.

We did visit an old friend of my girlfriend in Pinole, which is outside of Richmond. Apparently racial relations were really bad there, and the husband in this black couple hated all white people, according to his wife, the friend of my girlfriend. She had to sneak out to meet us, and spent the day touring Napa with us.

The only place where I have felt uncomfortable traveling as an interracial couple was in Hays, Kansas with my wife on a cross-country drive.

We tried to get off the interstate to check out the town and find something local to eat. After getting a series of weird reactions from locals, including, of all things, an owner of an Indian restaurant, we went back to eat at the chain restaurant at the interstate.
In the middle of the country locals also go to these restaurants to eat as there are no other attractions in the area. We were stared at by a family at the next table for the longest time, as if we were from Mars or something.

On the other hand, this is the only incident in 15 years where we had any problem at all.

[Kind of Blue]

12. Well, Richmond was definitely one of them!

I was in San Diego for a little over a year at the time and Richmond stuck out because I had moved from the D.C. area and instantly thought Richmond, Virginia(?), when FIL gave his rundown. Then the town popped up again with the awful gang rape of the 15year old girl last week. Chilled m to the bone. Husband is sound asleep but I'll ask him later.

You know what's funny, Kwassa? I have actually stared at inter-racial couples - especially the young ones (they're so cute) and they shoot back the look, "What are you looking at?" And I want to say, No. No, I didn't mean it that way :rofl:

Is Napa incredible or what? We got there one evening just before sunset and it was pure enchantment. The next day, the in-laws took us wine tasting from one vineyard to another. At one place, I was by myself when I asked one of the clerks some questions and he totally ignored me as if I wasn't even there. Well, I guess after several glasses of wine from the other vineyards, I grew despondent when normally I get feisty. BIL noticed I'd wandered off, explained what I thought happened and he threw an unexpected shit-fit after we experimented with the guy a little. hehehee... Each of us got a nice bottle of wine from the owners. I'd completely forgotten that incident until now.

Man, that booklet updated could really be useful. Sometimes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Sigh.

[noiretextatique]

13. i was making that same trip over 30 years ago

and a cop pulled me and friend over because he thought we were black men. we were both black women with short hair, so he let use go with a warning. i wonder what would have happened if we were men.

[firedupdem]

9. The last paragraph made me get all emotional. n.t

[Kind of Blue]

8. I was able to pull up the page but it really

worked my computer - froze it and crashed it. Dratz! I'd really love to go through it.