Driving the Green Book

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Join award-winning broadcaster Alvin Hall on a journey through America's haunted racial past, guided by the legendary Green Book. For many, the open road has been fraught with danger. During the Jim Crow era, Black travelers faced locked doors, hostile police, and the threat of violence across the country. From 1936 to 1967, millions relied on The Negro Motorist Green Book, a crucial guide to safe spaces for rest, food, and lodging. While many know of the guide from the 2018 film or the 2020 TV show, Hall aims to reveal its true historical significance. Alongside Janée Woods Weber, he traveled from New York to Detroit and New Orleans, visiting motels, restaurants, and shops that welcomed Black Americans. They explored significant cultural landmarks, including venues where icons like Duke Ellington and Lena Horne performed, and the Lorraine Motel, the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. Throughout their journey, they collected stories from the last living witnesses for whom the Green Book represented survival—extraordinary individuals who not only endured but thrived, creating vibrant Black communities against overwhelming odds. This work serves as an essential account of national history and a testament to Black resilience and resistance. A supplemental PDF accompanies the audiobook.