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What the Greenbook and automobile did for Black people, and my family in particular is sooooo special to me.

My grandparents met at a spot listed in one of the books in St. Louis, MO. They eventually opened an auto body shop together where they operated for nearly 30 years.

I like to imagine my grandfather, arriving in STL, among the few of his family to take part in the tail end of the Great Migration. He was the same age as Emmett Till that fateful summer, and lived less than 90mi from Money, MS.

I think about that context, and the drive from Cleveland, MS—to St. Louis, in that time. So he definitely remembers the Green Book, but was functionally illiterate. But it shows how needed the book was. People like my grandad had to rely on common sense, discernment and memory to get from place to place. That had to have been incredibly dangerous at that time.

In 2022, I opened a black bookstore, and later gave a lecture about the GB, my grandparents, and the automobile.

I soooooo appreciate seeing this collection in the real world, and revering history, and not using our struggle for profit. Each piece is so unique and so thoughtful.

I purchased the Greenbook scarf, keychain and passport, and they are beautiful. Adding Black pieces of history to my wardrobe is critical to my personal style, and they can be hard to find. I can’t wait to get more items from the collections!

Best wishes to this business in future endeavors!❤️📚