Overground Railroad : The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America

A New York Times Notable Book, Overground Railroad explores the historical role and residual impact of the Green Book, the “Bible of Black Travel” Published from 1936 to 1967, during the Jim Crow years and into the civil rights movement, when travel for black America was difficult and dangerous, the Green Book was an ingenious solution to a horrific problem. It listed hotels, restaurants, gas stations, stores, nightclubs, and other businesses across the United States that were safe for black people to patronize. Overground Railroad celebrates the stories behind—and contained within—Victor Green’s guide, tracing its history and revealing the contemporary events that helped shape how black people endured and triumphed despite incredible obstacles. Candacy Taylor drove through the neighborhoods where Green Book sites once thrived. Her work documents the scars that redlining, urban renewal, gentrification, and mass incarceration have left on these communities. Although less than 5 percent of Green Book businesses are still operating, these sites of sanctuary symbolize black ingenuity, resourcefulness, strength, entrepreneurship, and resilience. Overground Railroad tells the untold story of black travel, offering readers a rich opportunity to reexamine America’s story of segregation, black migration, and the rise of the black leisure class.

A New York Times Notable Book, Overground Railroad explores the historical role and residual impact of the Green Book, the “Bible of Black Travel”

Published from 1936 to 1967, during the Jim Crow years and into the civil rights movement, when travel for black America was difficult and dangerous, the Green Book was an ingenious solution to a horrific problem. It listed hotels, restaurants, gas stations, stores, nightclubs, and other businesses across the United States that were safe for black people to patronize. Overground Railroad celebrates the stories behind—and contained within—Victor Green’s guide, tracing its history and revealing the contemporary events that helped shape how black people endured and triumphed despite incredible obstacles.

Candacy Taylor drove through the neighborhoods where Green Book sites once thrived. Her work documents the scars that redlining, urban renewal, gentrification, and mass incarceration have left on these communities. Although less than 5 percent of Green Book businesses are still operating, these sites of sanctuary symbolize black ingenuity, resourcefulness, strength, entrepreneurship, and resilience. Overground Railroad tells the untold story of black travel, offering readers a rich opportunity to reexamine America’s story of segregation, black migration, and the rise of the black leisure class.