Green Book Club - Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel
Join us from 11:30am – 12:30pm central time for a book discussion of Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel and virtual appearance by the author, Candacy Taylor.
Published from 1936 to 1966, The Green Book was hailed as the “black travel guide to America.” At that time, it was very dangerous and difficult for African-Americans to travel because black travelers couldn’t eat, sleep, or buy gas at most white-owned businesses. The Green Book listed hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses that were safe for black travelers. It was a resourceful and innovative solution to a horrific problem. It took courage to be listed in The Green Book, and Overground Railroad celebrates the stories of those who put their names in the book and stood up against segregation. It shows the history of The Green Book, how we arrived at our present historical moment, and how far we still have to go when it comes to race relations in America.
This Book Club is presented in conjunction with the Smithsonian's The Negro Motorist Green Book exhibition at the Capitol Park Museum on display August 21 – November 14, 2021. Developed by SITES in collaboration with award-winning author, photographer, and cultural documentarian Candacy Taylor, The Negro Motorist Green Book is made possible through the support of the Exxon Mobil Corporation.
Copies of the book are free for participants and can be picked up from Red Stick Reads at 541 S Eugene St, Baton Rouge, Tuesday - Saturday, 11am – 6pm. Copies can also be purchased at https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/overground-railroad_9781419738173/
About the Author
Candacy Taylor is an award-winning author, photographer, and cultural documentarian working on a multidisciplinary project based on the Green Book. She is the author of the bestselling book, Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America (Abrams Books). Taylor is also the curator and content specialist for the exhibition, The Negro Motorist Green Book which is being toured by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) from 2020 to 2024.
Taylor was a fellow at the Hutchins Center at Harvard University under the direction of Henry Louis Gates Jr. and her projects have been funded by numerous organizations including, The Library of Congress, National Geographic, The American Council of Learned Societies, The National Endowment for the Humanities, The National Park Service, The National Trust, and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Taylor’s work has been featured in over 80 media outlets including The Atlantic, CBS Sunday Morning, The Economist, The Guardian UK, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Newsweek, PBS Newshour, Time Magazine, and The Wall St. Journal.
Taylor lives in Harlem, New York.
www.taylormadeculture.com/the-green-book
To attend in person:
Capitol Park Museum
660 N 4th St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
To attend virtually:
Oct 30, 2021 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wvqpgZilQkShZCK_uA8VJw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
