NYPL Public Domain Digital Collections - The New York Public Library During the era of Jim Crow segregation, Black Americans faced grave dangers while traveling the highways and byways of the United States. Many hotels and restaurants refused to serve Black customers and certain “sundown” cities went so far as to ban all Black travelers after nightfall.
The Jewish Vacation Guide, first published around 1916, compiled these addresses, alongside a whole network of Jewish-owned or Jewish-friendly places where it was safe for Jews to eat, sleep and visit. This guide, and other travel advice like it published in the Yiddish press, served as a vital tool in navigating the potential danger of Jewish travel in early America. It even went on to inspire the “Green Book,” a widely used guide for Black travelers.
I was surprised to see that it stopped publishing in 1964. I have memories of families in our neighborhood relying on it through the late 60s and even into the early 70s. It was a true cultural touchstone.
The Jewish Vacation Guide, first published around 1916, compiled these addresses, alongside a whole network of Jewish-owned or Jewish-friendly places where it was safe for Jews to eat, sleep and visit. This guide, and other travel advice like it published in the Yiddish press, served as a vital tool in navigating the potential danger of Jewish travel in early America. It even went on to inspire the “Green Book,” a widely used guide for Black travelers.
I was surprised to see that it stopped publishing in 1964. I have memories of families in our neighborhood relying on it through the late 60s and even into the early 70s. It was a true cultural touchstone.