Blog Layout

ON VIEW NOW! The Negro Motorist Green Book

August 30, 2022

Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Exploring “The Green Book” History Coming to Irving Archives and Museum

The history of “The Green Book,” the annual guide created in 1936 by Harlem postman Victor Green that provided African American travelers with information on restaurants, gas stations, department stores and other businesses that welcomed Black travelers during the era of Jim Crow, will be highlighted in the “The Negro Motorist Green Book”, a new exhibition developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with award-winning author, photographer and cultural documentarian, Candacy Taylor. The exhibition, made possible through the support of Exxon Mobil Corporation, will be on view at Irving Archives & Museum from October 16, 2022 – January 8, 2023.


“The Negro Motorist Green Book” will offer an immersive look at the reality of travel for African Americans in mid-century America and how the annual guide served as an indispensable resource for the nation’s rising African American middle class. The exhibition will include artifacts from business signs and postcards to historic footage, images and firsthand accounts to convey not only the apprehension felt by African American travelers, but also the resilience, innovation and elegance of people choosing to live a full American existence. It will bring focus to a vibrant parallel world of African American businesses, the rise of the black leisure class in the United States and the important role “The Green Book” played in facilitating the second wave of the Great Migration.


“The Green Book” was published and distributed nationwide until 1967, providing African American travelers with information on restaurants, gas stations, department stores and other businesses that welcomed black travelers. In an era of Jim Crow laws and “sundown towns”—communities that explicitly prohibited African Americans from staying overnight— “The Green Book” offered critical, life-saving information and sanctuary.


ExxonMobil predecessor Standard Oil Company of New Jersey played a significant role in the distribution of “The Green Book” through its U.S. network of Esso stations, helping to provide motorists and their families opportunities for safer and more comfortable travel. Esso stations were the only major retail distributors of “The Green Book.” Esso also employed many African American engineers, scientists and marketing executives, and welcomed African American motorists at its stations.


This exhibition was made possible with funding from Humanities Texas and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the federal ARP Act.


November 15, 2024
DON'T MISS THESE AMAZING STORE SALES Irving Archives & Museum and Mustangs Museum Stores HOSTING BIG SALES!
October 10, 2024
Irving Archives and Museum Showcases Exhibit on Irving Hospital History 60 Years of Healthcare: Honoring Our Legacy, Building Our Future
October 8, 2024
Cheer Couture: The Creation of an Icon
September 7, 2024
Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design On View at Irving Archives and Museum
August 28, 2024
Join Us at IAM for Docent-Led Tours on the First Sunday of Every Month at 2 pm! FREE ADMISSION & FREE TOUR!
August 26, 2024
Ready for a mouthwatering meal that supports a great cause? Join us at Corner Bakery Café (118 E John Carpenter Freeway) Tuesday, September 17, 2024 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. You can make a difference! 25% will be donated to Friends of the Irving Museums with every order placed (online or in-person) Be sure to use promo code 659 when ordering. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to dine for a purpose! A minimum of 20 RSVPs are required in advance. Get all the details and RSVP at: https://grouprai.se/s285524 .
August 1, 2024
BREAKING NEWS! Maintenance completed ahead of schedule! IAM will reopen Wednesday, August 28, 2024!
May 13, 2024
Irving Archives and Museum Opens Thrift Style Exhibition
May 10, 2024
IAM to offer free admission to military personnel and their families this summer!
April 29, 2024
La Frontera: The Border Exhibition Showcases the Works of Twenty Artists from Around the World
More Posts

In order to provide you with the best online experience this website uses cookies. By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies. More Info.

×
Share by: