We know that automobiles revolutionized life for the average white American in the early and mid-20th century, but for the African American population, cars brought freedoms, yes, but freedoms packed with complications.
In her book “Driving While Black,” Gretchen Sorin charts the history of cars and African Americans, telling the stories of black-only businesses and publications like The Green Book (one of many such guides) that helped make travel for African Americans safer, and how cars assisted with the Civil Rights Movement–emphasis on “movement.”
Dr. Gretchen Sorin’s book is Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights. [IndieBound|Amazon].
