Landscape of Segregation Tour Start Point

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

This is the start point for the Landscape of Segregation driving tour of south central Pennsylvania. This tour was compiled by graduate students in Shippensburg University's Master's Degree in Applied History program. The tour visits sites of relevance to the African American community in the early to mid 20th century. It focuses on everyday places in the lives of African Americans to provide insight into the latent and patent segregation and racial discrimination they may have encountered as they went about their daily business in Pennsylvania society. These sites are intended to spark conversation on potentially difficult topics as viewed from today's perspective. This study into the past is intended to cultivate thoughtful reflection on how society can improve as it moves forward.

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Shippensburg University Old Main

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

This tour is one segment of a larger project intended to delve deeply into issues of segregation in south central Pennsylvania. The Landscape of Segregation Project is a collaborative effort to provide a well-researched, informative, and thought-provoking interpretation regarding the existence and practice of segregation and racial discrimination in five south central Pennsylvania counties: Adams, Franklin, Cumberland, Lancaster, and York. In the interest of time and distance, not all sites researched during the project are included in the tour.

For inspiration and guidance with our project the group used the historical The Negro Travelers' Green Book by Victor Hugo Green published from 1936 to 1967. During the era of segregation throughout the United States these publications were used to identify safe places where African Americans were welcome for business. The variety of locations listed in the Green Book consisted of restaurants, barber shops, beauty salons, hotels, drugstores and many other types of businesses to help make travel more comfortable for African Americans.

As our group explored this incredible resource it was surprising to all of us that segregation was deeply rooted not only in the southern regions of the United States, but expanded more broadly into northern states where segregation is not spoken about or taught in schools. Seeing places such as the town of Gettysburg, the single most influential location where blood was spilt in regards to ending racism and slavery, have establishments where African Americans were separated in schools, theaters, and cemeteries was appalling to discover. These were places and topics our group wanted to bring awareness to and help continue the conversations and efforts to end racial inequality throughout the United States.

We wish you a thoughtful, reflective, and meaningful tour.

Sources

For Digital Copies of The Negro Travelers' Green Book by Victor Green go to: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/the-green-book#/?tab=about&scroll=15

Wallenfeldt, Jeff. 2020. “The Green Book.” Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Green-Book-travel-guide.

Patrick, Leslie. 2010. “African American and Civil Rights in Pennsylvania.” Pennsylvania Heritage. http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/pa-heritage/african-americans-civil-rights-pennsylvania.html.

Purnell, Brian. The Strange Careers of the Jim Crow North: Segregation and Struggle outside of the South. New York: New York University Press, 2019

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