Beloit and The Negro Motorist Green Book
This book, known as "the bible of black travel during Jim Crow," was essential for the survival of thousands of African Americans in an era of segregation rooted into the American legal system through Jim Crow laws. It helped travelers avoid sundown towns where African Americans were under the threat of violence after sunset.
In the 1954 and 1955 (renamed) editions of The Negro Travelers’ Green Book, the city of Beloit is listed under the state of Wisconsin. Travelers could patronize African American businesses like Collins Service Station on Colby Street, have a meal at Hobson’s Restaurant at 102 Park Ave, enjoy a drink at the Clover Leaf Tavern at 103 Prospect and get a haircut at Hobson’s Barber Shop at 441 St. Paul Ave.
The last section of The Negro Travelers’ Green Book was called Green Book Vacation Guide. It listed various resorts for each state. Under the state of Wisconsin is the city of Spooner, listing the Lone Star Resort Rt. 2 and Channey’s Resort Rt. 2. Spooner WI is approximately 4 ½ hours heading northwest from Beloit. This peaked my interest because I remembered my grandmother had pictures from Spooner Wisc, Channey Lodge, I had no idea that this vacation spot was listed in The Negro Travelers’ Green Book! See the pictures attached.
A brief history of the Green Book-
“There will be a day sometime in the near future when this guide will not have to be published. That is when we as a race will have equal rights and privileges in the United States.” Victor Green
First published in 1936 by Victor Hugo Green, The Negro Motorist Green Book was a guidebook for African American travelers that provided a list of hotels, boarding houses, taverns, restaurants, service stations and other establishments throughout the country that served African Americans patrons. The places listed in Green’s books were either black-owned or known to be non-discriminatory.
Green modeled his publication after the guides for Jewish travelers that appeared in Jewish newspapers. The 1936 guide had only 15-pages that listed travel-related businesses in metropolitan New York City where he lived. Because the demand for the first Green Book was so great, Green expanded the 1937 edition to include more states and distribute it nationally. Each publication also included feature articles on travel and destinations, and included a listing of African American resorts.
By 1954, the title was changed to The Negro Travelers' Green Book and remained very popular among African American travelers. With the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, banning racial segregation in hotels, restaurants and other places, the Green Book publications eventually became obsolete. After almost thirty years in print, the 1966-1967 edition, now called the Travelers’ Green Book, was the final publication.
