We Are Proud to Support “The Negro Motorist Green Book” Exhibition at the Illinois Holocaust Museum
From January 29 – April 23, our community partners at the Illinois Holocaust Museum will host their newest special exhibition, The Negro Motorist Green Book. The exhibition reveals how the handbook provided African American travelers with information on restaurants, gas stations, department stores and other businesses that welcomed them during the era of Jim Crow, including here in Chicago.
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“This exhibition tells a story of resilience during the Jim Crow era when Black travelers faced often insurmountable discrimination. ‘The Green Book’ offered critical, life-saving information and sanctuary. Moreover, this is an inspirational story of communities, like Bronzeville, who took agency over their neighborhood, a story of growth in Black-owned businesses and the rising of the middle class.”
| Senior VP of Education and Exhibitions
About the Exhibit Heading link
For over thirty years, Harlem postman Victor Green’s “The Negro Motorist Green Book” guided Black Americans to thousands of businesses. When the first “Green Book” was published, the American road was a metaphor for freedom: freedom to change your present situation, determine your destiny, and travel. Yet, in 20th-century America, this same road was a dangerous place for Black travelers. The land was divided by segregation — through policy and through custom. In an era of Jim Crow laws and “sundown towns,” communities that explicitly prohibited Black travelers from staying overnight, the “Green Book” offered critical, life-saving information and sanctuary.
Developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with award winning author, photographer, and cultural documentarian, Candacy Taylor, The Negro Motorist Green Book offers an immersive look at the historic reality of travel for Black Americans, and how the guide served as an indispensable resource for the rise of the Black leisure class in the United States. The exhibition includes artifacts from business signs and postcards to historic footage, images, and firsthand accounts that illustrate not just the apprehension felt by Black travelers, but also the resilience, innovation, and elegance of people choosing to live a full American existence.
About the Illinois Holocaust Museum Heading link
Led by its founding principle, “Remember the Past, Transform the Future,” the Illinois Holocaust Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the memories of those who were lost, and by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference. Located in Skokie, IL, the Museum invites visitors to its permanent collection and special exhibitions.