Book Talk: Overground Railroad

Candacy Taylor, author of "Overground Railroad

On February 7, 2020, the National Civil Rights Museum hosts a free book talk featuring Candacy Taylor, author of the Overground Railroad, set for release in January 2020. It is the first book to explore the historical role and residual impact of the Green Book, a travel guide for black motorists.

Published from 1936 to 1966, the Green Book was hailed as the “black travel guide to America.” At that time, it was very dangerous and di cult for African-Americans to travel because black travelers couldn’t eat, sleep, or buy gas at most white-owned businesses.

The Green Book listed hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses that were safe for black travelers. It was a resourceful and innovative solution to a horrific problem. It took courage to be listed in the Green Book, and Overground Railroad celebrates the stories of those who put their names in the book and stood up against segregation. It shows the history of the Green Book, how we arrived at our present historical moment, and how far we still have to go when it comes to race relations in America.

Candacy Taylor is an award-winning author, cultural critic and photographer with a Master’s Degree in Visual Criticism. She started driving Route 66 over 20 years ago and fell in love with the "Mother Road" while researching her book, Counter Culture: The American Coffee Shop Waitress. The road is her home away from home and getting insider information about local haunts and hidden gems that never make it into travel guides is what she lives for.

Taylor has traveled over 300,000 miles documenting stories about American culture and identity and has a deep respect for hospitality industry workers because she worked in hotels and restaurants for 12 years. She has lived in every region of the country, eaten in over 8,000 restaurants and stayed in more than 4,000 hotels. With the exception of Alaska and New Hampshire, Taylor has toured every state in America.

The book talk will be held from 6 to 8pm on Thursday, February 27, at the Ford Theatre of the National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry in Memphis, Tennessee. The event is free, but RSVP is required.

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