This skill assignment was a great way to visualize the migratory nature of people in the 1930/40s.As we have already discussed, events such as the depression and dust bowl, affected the majority of Americans, but there were many other problems that affected specific minority groups which is shown through the Green Book Map. Of course, traveling can be difficult for anyone, but especially for minorities as they have to worry about where they are going and who they might encounter along the way.
When comparing the tour I studied to a trip plotted using
the Green Book project, I was initially shocked at how there were no available
stops along the route. Upon reflection, I realized how naïve it was for me to
even think otherwise.
The two nearest stops were completely of course in two different states, Arizona and Colorado. I lived in Utah for almost two years and the state is predominantly white. Of course, being white myself, it would be easy to forget this, but looking at the Green Book map puts into perspective just how difficult it must currently be and have been in the past to be a person of color in a state like Utah. Despite there being many tourist attractions in the state such as ski resorts, hiking, and other outdoor activities, there is still a lack of diversity. The Green Book Project is optimistic that “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 opportunities and privileges in the United States.”1 Unfortunately, that is clearly not the case. However, projects like the Green Book Map and The Colored Conventions Project bring awareness of these systemic racial issues and paves the way for improvement. In Sarah Bond’s article she quoted a professor that mentions “In the West, so many of the documents that record Black history have been devalued and discarded.”2 This statement, along with the Green Book map, show just how important it is to recognize our history and use these tools to learn from past mistakes and better the future, especially for minority groups.
- “NavigatingThe Green Book.” Navigating The Green Book. Accessed November 18, 2019. https://publicdomain.nypl.org/greenbook-map/.
- Jr, Vincent S Artale. “Mapping Racism And Assessing the Success of the Digital Humanities.” History From Below, October 20, 2017. https://sarahemilybond.com/2017/10/20/mapping-racism-and-assessing-the-success-of-the-digital-humanities/.
