“Driving the Green Book” by Alvin Hall (excerpt)

Route 66 still stands as a symbol of the road west, the open highway representing independence and mobility, two values that Americans consider part of their heritage. Yet Nat King Cole’s 1946 hit song, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” stands more than a celebration of the open road. It’s a reminder that the road wasn’t open to everyoneNat King Cole, himself, wouldn’t have been able to stay at most of the motels on Route 66 when that song was released.African Americans taking vacations along Route 66 not only couldn’t stay at many of the motor inns the route helped popularize but weren’t always welcome at restaurants along the way. In many cases, bathrooms were off limits. There was also the problem of “sundown towns,” — communities that excluded blacks after the sun went down.The Green Book was devised in 1936 by Victor Hugo Green, a New York postman, to provide a list of places that African Americans could visit without fear of retribution.The guides were published annually until 1966.Alvin Hall talked about Route 66 in an interview on Read Beat regarding his book, Driving the Green Book.