Opening the Road [hc]
Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book
Written by Keila V. Dawson [Ohio] & illustrated by Alleanna Harris
In the late 1930s when segregation was legal and Black Americans couldn't visit every establishment or travel everywhere they wanted to safely, a New Yorker named Victor Hugo Green decided to do something about it. Green wrote and published a guide that listed places where his fellow Black Americans could be safe in New York City. The guide sold like hot cakes! Soon customers started asking Green to make a guide to help them travel and vacation safely across the nation, too. With the help of his mail carrier co-workers and the African American business community, Green's guide allowed millions of African Americans to travel safely and enjoy traveling across the nation.
In the first picture book about the creation and distribution of The Green Book, the author and illustrator tell the story of the man behind it and how this travel guide opened the road for a safer, more equitable America. 40 pages
"Dawson's text makes a stark, complex topic accessible and comprehensible to younger readers. Harris's digital illustrations are realistic for historical accuracy and offer a warmth that invites readers into the narrative. Back matter includes an informative author's note, a time line, and a selected bibliography." -School Library Journal (Grades 2-4)
January 26, 2021
