Highlight the Local Contributions Of African Americans | https://www.flickr.com/
Highlight the Local Contributions Of African Americans | https://www.flickr.com/
From March 2, 2023 post.
Black History Month may be over, but we’re continuing to highlight the local contributions of African Americans in Guilford County.
Many may have heard of the “Green Book” as a leisure travel guide, but it served as a tool to help Black Americans navigate their way during the Jim Crow era.
In 1936, Victor Green published the first copy of “The Negro Motorist Green Book.” For 30 years, the handbook provided listings of hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses deemed safe for Black travelers – offering a break from discrimination and a chance to experience “oasis spaces” as more African Americans sat behind a steering wheel and partook in road trips.
According to the NC African American Heritage Commission, more than 320 businesses in North Carolina were featured in the “Green Book.” Records show 17 of those businesses were found right here in Guildford County, including the Harris East End Gulf Service Station and the Magnolia House in Greensboro.
The building that once housed the service station still stands on East Market Street today but has been transformed into another business.
The Historic Magnolia House was once one of the only lodging options available between Atlanta and Richmond for Black patrons. The historic inn has now been renovated into a bed and breakfast. This month the “Green Book” site kicked off a Black History Exhibit: "If The Walls Could Talk," an augmented reality/virtual reality exhibit. The museum attraction is available through Friday, March 3. Tickets can be purchased online.
Visit their website for more information http://bit.ly/3Y7XsRv
Source can be found here.
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