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Physical Legacy of Buildings Listed in Black Traveler Guidebooks

The National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program has undertaken the Route 66 Green Book Project. The “Green Book”, known variously as the Negro Motorist Green Book and the Negro Travelers’ Green Book, was an annual travel guide published from 1936 to 1964 by Victor H. Green. It was intended to provide African American travelers with lodging, dining, and other information necessary to stay safe and comfortable during the era of segregation prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The purpose of the Route 66 Green Book Project is to identify properties in Route 66 communities that were listed in the Green Book (as well as other black traveler guides), and to determine if they are still standing. With this information, it is possible to promote the preservation and commemoration of these buildings, and gain insights and understanding of African American experiences of Route 66. The project will continue in partnership with the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership Green Book Task Force and African American organizations with the goal of education, preservation and promotion of Green Book and other stories of Route 66.

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SOURCES
  • Victor H. Green, Negro Motorist Green Book, 1938-mid-1960s (NMGB=1938-1952), Negro Travelers’ Green Book, 1953-1959 and Travelers’ Green Book, 1960-mid-1960s).
  • Edwin Henry Hackley, Hackley and Harrison's Hotel and Apartment Guide for Colored Travelers, 1930 edition

This research effort was led by Historian Frank Norris of the National Park Service, National Trails Intermountain Region from July, 2013-August 2014. The effort would not have been possible without the generous field assistance of numerous state and municipal agencies; nonprofits; and private individuals.

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Last updated: January 25, 2022