The Negro Travelers' Green Book: The Guide to Travel and Vacations was an annual travel guide that helped African Americans navigate segregation. Started by Victor Hugo Green, a New York City-based postal carrier, the guide pointed African American travelers to businesses that would serve them.
The Green Book was published from 1936 to 1966, during the Jim Crow era of legal racial segregation. It primarily listed locations within the United States. However, several editions included places in other countries such as Canada, Mexico, Haiti, Guatemala, France, and Nigeria.
North Carolina had 326 sites identified during the three decades of the Green Book. The Green Book was sold at select service stations across the United States, as well as by civic groups. The guide was also available by mail. The earliest Green Book sold for $0.25 and later versions cost $1.95. The 1959 issue on display sold for $1.25.