Contextualizing the Green Book: Archival Theories and Considerations

Co-ownership, crowd-sourced community archival, and more 

The Green Book listings are unique in that they’re comprised of metadata with no qualitative information about the listings. A business or service appearing in the book meant that it was a safe space for Black travelers with no further context from people who had been there and their experience. Furthermore, there’s no background information made publicly available on the process of how listings appeared in the book. Was there a criteria that the person suggesting the listing had to have visited or could you made a suggestion via word of mouth? Was there a minimum number of times that a business had to be suggested or was a singular recommendation taken to be true? 

One thing that is clear about the Green Book archival is that it was a community effort. The guide's listings were organized by state and city, with the majority situated in major metropolises, much like Chicago and Detroit, but it also included more remote locations, in alignment with the participant model of provenance. Even in areas where black-friendly accommodations were scarce, the "Green Book" provided addresses of homeowners willing to rent rooms. This inclusive approach was instrumental in providing travelers with safe options.  It recorded and recognized the shared experiences and identity of African Americans who faced racial prejudice and danger during travel, addressing the cultural and ethical aspects of co-creatorship.