Exploring the Green Book: A lifeline for African Americans traveling in the Northeast
During the era of U.S. Segregation, Black Americans had to carefully plan their travels in order to avoid unwelcoming businesses and potentially dangerous situations. Against this societal backdrop, from 1936 to 1966 Victor Green — a Black postal worker from Harlem, NYC — published the Green Book, a guide for Black Americans which helped them identify safe and welcoming services and recreation while traveling.
In this talk, Nur Shoop, Sankofa Scholar with the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, will discuss how important the Green Book was for African Americans traveling in the Northeast, where there was segregation, contrary to some popular belief.
This talk will be a place for folks to explore and grapple with history that may be surprising and uncomfortable — but important to understand nonetheless. In conjunction with Nur's talk, LJ Boswell will offer an opening centering practice and afterward guide us through both small and whole group discussions.
Check out Nur Shoop on New Hampshire Public Radio. | Check out the Black History Trail of New Hampshire.
Nur Shoop is a Sankofa Scholar and lead tour guide with the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire and has been with BHTNH for 8 years. Nur runs the "Thirst for Freedom tour," which focuses on the Portsmouth area's slave economy through the civil rights movement, and "the Green Book tour." An experienced tour guide, Nur has developed key strategies for sharing and interpreting conflicting histories, and is certified as a guide by the National Association for Interpretation (https://www.interpnet.com). Learn more at: https://blackheritagetrailnh.org/sankofa-guided-walking-tours/
LJ Boswell is white, a Quaker, educator, interfaith chaplain, social justice activist and artist. As such, LJ nourishes curiosity and creativity in order for us to process, heal and come alive! They offer Spiritual Direction, anti-racist education and social justice coaching to groups and individuals. For more info: lj@spiritheals.me | www.spiritheals.me
