"The disappearance of the Green Book did not mean the disappearance of danger. It meant the loss of a visible, communal warning system."
Yes! In 1967 I moved to Denver because my boyfriend, who was Black, would be stationed in the Air force nearby. He knew what I didn't—I’m white—that he had to accompany me on my apartment search. Amazing, how many vacancies turned out to have just been rented when they saw us. We did find a friendly landlady and a suitable apartment where he could be comfortable visiting me when he was in town. The Green Book might have made that search easier.
It sounds like this book provides great insights into how traveling has been a very different experience for many just because of how they look and can't change. While on my 83 Odyssey through the overwhelmingly white American heartland, I had thought about how differently some people I met might have reacted if I was a non-white person., even decades after the Green Book period.
The Damron Guides started in 1964 specifically for gay men for safety, travel and history and was modeled after the Green Books. Over time, they included spaces for lesbians. So often, lesbians still have no places to go that are safe spaces. While there are over 800 gay male bars in the US alone, there are only roughly 30 lesbian spaces. And as a travel guide, even spaces that may be safe for men, many of those spaces are not always welcoming to women. The Damron's Women's Traveller was finally made in 1990 to finally list spaces and accommodations safe for lesbians.
Yes, we used the Damron guides in college to find spaces that were friendly and safe for us. And since I studied African American Studies in college, I knew about the Green books--we studied them. And Bob Damron called it "The Gay Green Book" when he wrote it.
The Jewish Vacation Guide, first published around 1916, compiled places for Jews to safely eat, sleep and visit. This guide, and other travel advice like it published in the Yiddish press, served as a vital tool in navigating the potential danger of Jewish travel in early America. It even went on to inspire the “Green Book,” a widely used guide for Black travelers.
"The disappearance of the Green Book did not mean the disappearance of danger. It meant the loss of a visible, communal warning system."
Yes! In 1967 I moved to Denver because my boyfriend, who was Black, would be stationed in the Air force nearby. He knew what I didn't—I’m white—that he had to accompany me on my apartment search. Amazing, how many vacancies turned out to have just been rented when they saw us. We did find a friendly landlady and a suitable apartment where he could be comfortable visiting me when he was in town. The Green Book might have made that search easier.
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this. 🙏
It sounds like this book provides great insights into how traveling has been a very different experience for many just because of how they look and can't change. While on my 83 Odyssey through the overwhelmingly white American heartland, I had thought about how differently some people I met might have reacted if I was a non-white person., even decades after the Green Book period.
The Damron Guides started in 1964 specifically for gay men for safety, travel and history and was modeled after the Green Books. Over time, they included spaces for lesbians. So often, lesbians still have no places to go that are safe spaces. While there are over 800 gay male bars in the US alone, there are only roughly 30 lesbian spaces. And as a travel guide, even spaces that may be safe for men, many of those spaces are not always welcoming to women. The Damron's Women's Traveller was finally made in 1990 to finally list spaces and accommodations safe for lesbians.
Thanks for sharing this Kim. I had no idea.
Yes, we used the Damron guides in college to find spaces that were friendly and safe for us. And since I studied African American Studies in college, I knew about the Green books--we studied them. And Bob Damron called it "The Gay Green Book" when he wrote it.
Thank you so much for sharing, Diamond-Michael! Intrigued to read... added to my TBR list. You always have fantastic recommendations!
Always happy to share.
The Jewish Vacation Guide, first published around 1916, compiled places for Jews to safely eat, sleep and visit. This guide, and other travel advice like it published in the Yiddish press, served as a vital tool in navigating the potential danger of Jewish travel in early America. It even went on to inspire the “Green Book,” a widely used guide for Black travelers.