14. The Green book published a railroad edition in 1951
In 1951 the Negro Motorist Green Book published what was entitled An International Travel Guide Railroad Edition. An extensive article on the improvements and luxuries available when traveling by rail opened the book. The article included photographs of porters and waiters – all Black – serving passengers, all of whom were White. The article did not include a discussion of the many segregated waiting rooms and dining facilities at railroad stations across the country, particularly in the Deep South and in Appalachia. It was written in collaboration between Green and the Association of American Railroads.
By the time the 1951 edition was released Green was, in addition to publishing the Green Book, operating a travel agency and a sightseeing agency in New York City. The 1951 edition included a vacation planning guide and offered Vacation Planning and Reservation Services through Victor H. Green and Company. Green also offered printing services by direct mail, advertising his products and prices in the book. The motto “Covering the United States Like a Blanket” appeared on the back cover of the Green Book, and the listings inside remained an indication of the number of sites across the country where segregation continued to hold sway.