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Cultural Documentarian Candacy Taylor’s “Negro Motorist Green Book” Exhibition Travels to Houston Museum

ABOVE: Author and Exhibition Curator Candacy Taylor speaks during “The Negro Motorist Green Book” opening reception The Holocaust Museum of Houston recently hosted the debut of an exhibition featuring The Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide for African Americans. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition, sponsored by ExxonMobil, officially opened to the public on September […]
The post Cultural Documentarian Candacy Taylor’s “Negro Motorist Green Book” Exhibition Travels to Houston Museum first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 year ago

September 6, 2023

Forward Times Staff

ABOVE: Author and Exhibition Curator Candacy Taylor speaks during “The Negro Motorist Green Book” opening reception

The Holocaust Museum of Houston recently hosted the debut of an exhibition featuring The Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide for African Americans. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition, sponsored by ExxonMobil, officially opened to the public on September 1^st but members of the press were treated to a special preview and tour on August 31^st.

The 1940 Green Book (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

The Green Book was published from the mid-1930s until the mid-1960s and was a crucial resource at a time when Jim Crow discrimination made travel dangerous for Black people. Not only were they turned away from segregated establishments, but they also faced the possibility of racist violence or even lynching.

ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods hinted at those dangers during his remarks at the opening reception. “What we think of today as a ‘road trip’ — the classic American experience — was anything but routine for many Americans, who were treated as second class citizens because of the color of their skin. Pulling up to a restaurant, a rest stop, a hotel, was a dangerous roll of the dice. Black Americans didn’t know if they’d be refused service, met with hostility or even violence. Thankfully, there were safe places where African American travelers could find the goods and services they needed. And because of Victor and Alma Green, there was a booklet that black travelers could turn to for places where they’d be welcomed and safe. We’re extremely proud to be along those places of refuge: the Esso and Humble service stations, operating under the Standard Oil company, the predecessor of ExxonMobil.”

“We welcomed all people to our retail locations. In fact,” Woods continued, “we were the only major retailer in any industry to carry the Green Book. When I think back on our company’s modest role in this meaningful part of our history, I can’t help but be proud and grateful that we did the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.”

Candacy Taylor, who curated the project, spoke next. “I’ve been working on this project for over a decade. You know, it’s been a labor of love and being a curator for this exhibition has been one of the highlights of my career.”

Author and Exhibition Curator Candacy Taylor speaks during “The Negro Motorist Green Book” media tour

“I’ve driven over 100,000 miles, scouted nearly 7,000 Green Book sites; I photographed about 300 of them,” Taylor revealed. “I could scout up to 30 sites a day. And there were times that I would drive for days and days and not see a single one…On the rare occasion when I would see one, it was like a beautiful force of nature. Sometimes I’d actually get out of my car and jump up and down, if I was in an OK neighborhood,” she said, to laughter. “But I would get so excited. Less than 3% of these businesses are still operating. And so, it’s so important to celebrate the ones that we have left, and that’s what this exhibition helps us to do.”

It also tells the story of race in America — a story that’s not all about struggle, but Black ingenuity, resourcefulness and strength.

“You know, the Green Book was so much more than a traditional travel guide. It was this formidable weapon, and a fight for equal rights, and it really functioned more like a black Yellow Pages. It was in publication for about 30 years. The Green Book listed more than just hotels and food and lodging. It was called ‘the AAA for black people.’ But it was really so much more, because there were funeral homes, sanitariums and real estate offices. There was even a dude ranch,” Taylor said.

“The dude ranch was actually one of my favorite Green Book sites. It’s been gone, but it was a 40-acre ranch in the Mojave Desert [in California]. It was owned by a Black couple. Lena Horne used to hang out there. Pearl Bailey bought it in the late ‘50s. It was one of the first places in that part of the country where Black and White children swam together, and I was out there many times digging in dirt in 115° weather, trying to find some kind of something that could have been left over, and I actually did! I found bedsprings; I found little tiles. I found car parts and barbed wire, and that’s part of this exhibition.”

U.S. Representative Al Green, Holocaust Museum Houston Board Chair Barbara J. Herz, and ExxonMobil Foundation President Alvin Abraham

Taylor shared that Houston was home to at least 65 Green Book sites, highlighting the recently renovated El Dorado Ballroom. She concluded: “I know this history is hard, and we did not shy away from those stories. But I also want you to walk away feeling inspired by our resilience and grace as Black folks, to persevere despite incredible obstacles.”

KPRC meteorologist Khambrel Marshall also spoke during the Green Book’s opening reception. “I was born in 1952,” he said. “I spent most of my summers in Arkansas, and my grandfather was the principal of the colored school; my grandmother was a teacher there, and my mother was a teacher there. So that group was a well-educated group, and that was one of the reasons why someone, some group of people, decided to burn a cross in front of my yard as a young child. That was one of those things that really scared me as a child. But that was also one of the things that made me depend upon my parents even more so for safety.”

Because his grandparents and parents had the Green Book, that provided them some level of safety, Marshall said. “So when I knew that this exhibit was coming, I thought: ‘Hallelujah.’ It gives us an opportunity to expose many of you who don’t know about the Green Book — to this part of our history, and also to this wonderful museum that we have here that tells the story about what happened to the victims of the Holocaust.”

Marshall added: “This exhibit is an example of the kind of things that sometimes — even our own country right now, there are places where they don’t want to tell this story! So that’s why it’s important for us to be here.”

Attendee explores the exhibition

Author and Exhibition Curator Candacy Taylor speaks during “The Negro Motorist Green Book” media tour

Maria Hunt and Lisa Hubbard pose during “The Negro Motorist Green Book” press preview

Majic 102.1 Radio Host KG Smooth and Radio One VP/General Manager Pam McKay

Myriam Springuel, Director of SITES (Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service)

ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods

Author and Exhibition Curator Candacy Taylor speaks during “The Negro Motorist Green Book” opening reception

KPRC meteorologist Khambrel Marshall

Attendee explores the exhibition

Attendees explore the exhibition

U.S. Representative Al Green explores the exhibition

Attendees explore the exhibition

The post Cultural Documentarian Candacy Taylor’s “Negro Motorist Green Book” Exhibition Travels to Houston Museum appeared first on Forward Times.

The post Cultural Documentarian Candacy Taylor’s “Negro Motorist Green Book” Exhibition Travels to Houston Museum first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn, Pressley, Scanlon, Colleagues Urge Biden to Use Clemency Power to Address Mass Incarceration Before Leaving Office

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Mass incarceration remains a persistent, systemic injustice that erodes the soul of America. Our nation has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with nearly two million people locked in jails and prisons throughout the country.

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Oakland Post

Read the letter here.

Watch the press conference here.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06), Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) led 60 of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to use his executive clemency power in the final months of his presidency to reunite families, address longstanding injustices in our legal system, and set our nation on the path toward ending mass incarceration.

The lawmakers hosted a press conference earlier today to discuss the letter. A full video of their press conference is available here and photos are available here.

“Now is the time to use your clemency authority to rectify unjust and unnecessary criminal laws passed by Congress and draconian sentences given by judges,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter. “The grant of pardons and commutations and the restoration of rights will undoubtedly send a powerful message across the country in support of fundamental fairness and furthering meaningful criminal justice reform.”

Mass incarceration remains a persistent, systemic injustice that erodes the soul of America. Our nation has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with nearly two million people locked in jails and prisons throughout the country. The extreme use of incarceration has resulted in one in two adults having had an incarcerated family member. People of color are disproportionately put behind bars, along with individuals from low-income communities, LGBTQIA+ folks, and those with disabilities. The bloated prison system reflects and emboldens biases that undermine the ideals of our nation and diminish trust in the rule of law. Mass incarceration attacks the most vulnerable Americans, thereby destabilizing families and inflicting intergenerational trauma.

In their letter to President Biden, the lawmakers praised the President’s efforts to create a fair and just criminal legal system by pardoning people convicted of simple marijuana possession and LGBTQ+ former servicemembers and urged the President to use his clemency powers to help broad classes of people and cases, including the elderly and chronically ill, those on death row, people with unjustified sentencing disparities, and women who were punished for defending themselves against their abusers. The lawmakers also outlined the fiscal toll of the growing mass incarceration crisis.

“You have the support of millions of people across the country who have felt the harms of mass incarceration: young children longing to hug their grandparents, people who have taken responsibility for their mistakes, and those who simply were never given a fair chance,” the lawmakers wrote. “These are the people seeking help that only you can provide through the use of your presidential clemency power.”

Joining Representatives Clyburn, Pressley, and Scanlon in sending the letter are Representatives Joyce Beatty, Sanford Bishop, Shontel Brown, Cori Bush, André Carson, Troy Carter, Yvette Clarke, Jasmine Crockett, Valerie Foushee, Al Green, Jahana Hayes, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Pramila Jayapal, Henry Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Robin Kelly, Summer Lee, Jennifer McClellan, Gregory Meeks, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Robert Scott, Terri Sewell, Marilyn Strickland, Bennie Thompson, Rashida Tlaib, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.

The lawmakers’ letter is supported by the American Civil Liberties Union; Center for Popular Democracy; Last Prisoner Project; Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Death Penalty Action; The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls; The Faith Leaders of Color Coalition; Second Chance Justice of MCAN; JustLeadershipUSA; FAMM; The Episcopal Church; The Bambi Fund; Free Billie Allen Campaign; People’s Coalition for Safety and Freedom; Prophetic Resistance Boston; and Families Against Mandatory Minimums.

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Tennessee State University Set to Debut the First Division I Hockey Team at An HBCU

THE AFRO — “I am incredibly excited to embark on building this program, supported by God, my family, TSU students, alumni, and all those eagerly awaiting this moment,” said Duanté Abercrombie, the head coach of the Tennessee State Tigers ice hockey team, in a press release courtesy of TSU Athletics. “I firmly believe that one day, TSU will be recognized not only as a powerhouse on the ice but also as a program whose student-athletes leave a profound legacy on the world, enriched by the lessons learned at TSU.”

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

admin

By Mekhi Abbott
Special to the AFRO
mabbott@afro.com

Tennessee State University (TSU) continues to break ground on a historic journey to become the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) to field a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I ice hockey team. Alongside some assistance from the National Hockey League (NHL), the NHL Players’ Association and the Nashville Predators, the TSU Tigers have already named their official head coach, unveiled their jersey and received their first official commitment from a student-athlete.

TSU held an official press conference to announce the plan in June 2023. Their first official season as a sanctioned Division I program is planned to commence in 2025-26. On April 18, TSU named Duanté Abercrombie as the head coach of the Tennessee State Tigers ice hockey team.

“I am incredibly excited to embark on building this program, supported by God, my family, TSU students, alumni, and all those eagerly awaiting this moment,” said Abercrombie in a press release courtesy of TSU Athletics. “I firmly believe that one day, TSU will be recognized not only as a powerhouse on the ice but also as a program whose student-athletes leave a profound legacy on the world, enriched by the lessons learned at TSU.”

Abercrombie was raised in Washington, D.C., and was mentored by hockey legend Neal Henderson, the first Black man to be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Abercrombie attended Gonzaga College High School and graduated from Hampton University, where he was a track and field athlete prior to retiring due to an injury. After college, Abercrombie briefly played professional hockey in both the New Zealand Ice Hockey League as well as the Federal Hockey League.

After his career as a professional hockey player, Abercrombie moved onto coaching, including stints with his alma mater Gonzaga and Georgetown Preparatory School. In 2022-23, Abercrombie was a member of the coaching staff for NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

“We are no longer doing club play in 2024-25. We are going right into D1 play for 2025-26,” Nick Guerriero told the AFRO. Guerriero is the assistant athletic director of communications and creative content at Tennessee State.

On Jan. 19, TSU got their first official commitment from an ice hockey recruit, Xavier Abel. Abel played at Drury University and scored 12 goals in 34 games, including three game-winning goals. Abel was recruited by Guerriero.

In July, the Tigers got their second commitment from forward Trey Fechko. In October, Trey’s brother Marcus Fechko also committed to Tennessee State. Since, the Tigers have also signed forward Greye Rampton, goaltender Johnny Hicks, Grady Hoffman and four-star forward Bowden Singleton. Singleton flipped his commitment from North Dakota to Tennessee State. Guerriero said that TSU has a “few” other recruits that they are waiting to announce during their November signing period.

“I think it’s important to invest in these unorthodox sports for Black athletes because it allows Black children to have more opportunities to play sports in general,” said Zion Williams, a 2024 Gettysburg College graduate and former collegiate athlete. “The more opportunities that children have, the better. They won’t feel like they are boxed into one thing or sport.”

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HBCU Champions Advance to Postseason Play

WASHINGTON INFORMER — From HBCU football teams, to the University of the District of Columbia’s soccer program, and Howard University’s volleyball players, athletes are still working to capture titles and garner bragging rights in their various conferences.

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

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By Ed Hill | The Washington Informer

As the semester quickly winds down, several teams at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are hoping to find success in the postseason.

From HBCU football teams, to the University of the District of Columbia’s soccer program, and Howard University’s volleyball players, athletes are still working to capture titles and garner bragging rights in their various conferences.

South Carolina State proved all the prognosticators wrong by winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season title after being picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll.

As a result of their success, defeating the Morgan State Bears 54-7 on Nov. 16, the South Carolina Bulldogs now qualify for the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Dec. 14 in Atlanta, kicking off at noon and streaming on ABC.

However, another game between Jackson State and Southern University must happen a week before the big matchup in Atlanta, before the Bulldogs (8-2, 4-0 MEAC) know who they’ll be going against.

The Bulldogs, who have one game remaining on the schedule against Delaware State on Saturday, Nov. 23, will square off against the winner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) title game between Jackson State and Southern University on Dec. 7.

The Southern Jaguars (7-4, 6-1 SWAC) won the West Division, while the Jackson State Tigers (9-2, 7-0 SWAC) captured the East Division and the two will now meet up on Jackson, Mississippi at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, kicking off at 1 p.m. and streaming on ESPN2.

In the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship game, it was Virginia Union University that defeated rival Virginia State 21-17 for the title in Salem, Virginia, on Nov. 16.

Virginia Union University celebrates after defeating Virginia State University, and winning the regular season CIAA title in Salem, Virginia, on Nov. 16. (Courtesy photo)

It was the Virginia Union University Panthers’ second straight CIAA title, avenging a 35-28 loss to the Virginia State University Trojans on Nov. 9. The Panthers (8-3 overall, 6-1 in the CIAA) got an effort of 178 yards rushing on 32 carries and a touchdown from Jodo Byers.

Virginia Union will open the playoffs with a road game at Wingate in Wingate, North Carolina on Nov. 23, with kickoff at 1 p.m.

In the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAC) championship, it was Miles College (9-2) overwhelming Clark Atlanta (7-3), 53-25 in the title game. The Miles College Golden Bears piled up over 430 yards of total offense, giving them a NCAA Division 2 bid as they host Carson-Newman on Nov. 23 at 11 a.m.

Miles boasts one of the top defenses in the country in Division 2, having forced 33 turnovers.

University of the District of Columbia Soccer Team Defeats Molloy

In men’s soccer, the University of the District of Columbia defeated Molloy University in the East Coast Conference (ECC) championships final on Nov. 17.

The University of the District of Columbia men’s soccer team celebrates after winning the East Coast Conference championship game on Nov. 17 (Courtesy photo)

Mustafa Tahir scored the game-winning goal in the 100th minute. It was Tahir’s third game winner of the season.

The Firebirds (8-7-4, 3-4-1 in the ECC) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division 2 tournament against the No. 7 seed Post University. on Friday, Nov. 22. UDC enters the game on a four-game win streak.

Howard University Volleyball Dominating in the MEAC

Howard University is one of the hottest women’s college volleyball teams.

Howard University’s volleyball team has been on fire at 21-5 overall and undefeated in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. (Courtesy photo)

The Bison (21-5 overall, 14-0 MEAC) went undefeated in league play and are on a current 15-game game win streak headed into Friday’s tournament in Dover, Delaware.

The final is scheduled for Sunday at 8:30 pm on ESPNU.

Howard is the top seed, and they will be looking to capture their sixth tournament title and NCAA bid in the past nine years.

The Bison boast one of the top players in the country in junior outside hitter Rya McKinnon, who is headed for an unprecedented third straight Player of the Year honor.