Overground Railroad

Author: Candacy Taylor
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Abrams, 2020
Pages: 260
Rating: Highly Recommond

Synopsis: Published from 1936 to 1966, the Green Book was hailed as the "black travel guide toAmerica." At that time, it was very dangerous and difficult for African Americans to travel be cause 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 the Overground Railroad celebrates the stories of those who put their names in the book and stood up to 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 coems to race relations in America.

Review: I loved this book. The perfect complement to The Warmth of Other Suns, also excellent, and the movie The Green Book, which I also enjoyed.

This book touched on themes that are interesting to me, race relations, travel, and history. I wish the author would have left her personal opinions out and just told the story, but I definitely highly recommend it.

The Overground Railroad is organized and laid out well. The images and photographs included throughout are strategically placed, and make the story itself even more rich.