WS Chronicle

By David Winship

What would it have been like for Black travelers in the segregated American South in the twentieth century? An exhibit at Union Station, 300 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., that is available to the public through Feb. 28, will give visitors a glimpse into that experience.

 “Traveling While Black Live”provides a cinematic experience, immersing the visitor in a documentary and virtual reality technology examining the long history of traveling restrictions for Black Americans during the Jim Crow era of segregation. The Negro Motorist Green Book, published from 1936 to 1966, became a lifeline for Black motorists to find safe spaces and establishments where they would be welcomed rather than threatened or turned away. 

The exhibit at Union Station is presented by The Magnolia House Foundation of Greensboro, North Carolina. The exhibit is a re-creation of Ben’s Chili Bowl, a Black diner in Washington, D.C. Accompanying the representation is a 25-minute program, viewed through a Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) headset. There are 26 Virtual Reality goggles available for individual and group visitors.

According to the director of the creator and director of Traveling While Black experience, Roger Ross Williams, “The project started as a way to talk about this forgotten period in history. But the more I began to think about the past, I realized that not a lot has changed today. … the risk we face just leaving our homes and our need for safe spaces are just as prevalent as they were during the days of the Green Book.”

Aaron Shackelford, director of Georgia Tech Arts, described the exhibit as “Virtual reality in a way that brought something meaningful and substantial to the artistic experience.” 

Along with the presentation, the Magnolia House will provide “shoebox lunches,” reminiscent of the kind of meals that Black travelers would carry on their travels. The program, with the shoebox meals, is $27 per person. Reservations for individuals and groups can be made by calling 336-617-3382 or emailing info@magnoliahousegso.org. The month of February is expected to be very busy, so early registration is suggested.

The Historic Magnolia House in Greensboro opened in 1949 and was listed in The Green Book as one hotel that allowed African American travelers between Atlanta, Georgia, and Richmond, Virginia, to stay overnight due to lodging restrictions during segregation. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The Magnolia House Foundation’s mission is “preserving Black historic sites, giving a voice to tell its own story and reuniting it with their community, activating change, youth development, job creation, economic development, and bridging of communities.”

For further information, call 336-617-3382, email info@magnoliahousegso.org, or visit https://www.thehistoricmagnoliahouse.org/.

David Winship is a retired public-school educator from Bristol, Tennessee, and is working with his local community on recognizing a Green Book site. He is a member of Winston-Salem Writers.