City officials joined community members at a ceremony on Tuesday to dedicate plaques that commemorate two sites featured in the Green Book, a 20th-century travel guide for African Americans during the Jim Crow era of segregation.
The plaques have been attached to existing historical highway markers for the Holbrook-Ross Historic District and the Yancey House/Grasty Library. The Green Book plaque for the Yancey House/Grasty Library marker at 320 Holbrook St. was unveiled during the ceremony.
“This ceremony is more than an unveiling; it is an opportunity to reflect on the resilience of those who faced adversity head-on, and it is an opportunity to shed light on a time in our history that must never be forgotten,” said Councilman Barry Mayo, speaking on behalf of Mayor Alonzo Jones and the City Council. “May the stories of the Green Book inspire and enlighten generations to come.”
The ceremony featured presentations from members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Danville chapter (Alpha Phi Omega), including President Gayle H. Breakley, Interim President Bethann West James, and members Dorothy Diggs and Cynthia Polk. Karice Luck-Brimmer of Virginia Humanities provided an overview of Danville’s history as it pertains to the Holbrook-Ross Historic District, the Yancey House, and the Grasty Library.
The Holbrook-Ross Historic District was the first neighborhood in Danville for African American professionals. The Yancey House, listed in the Green Book from the 1930s to the 1960s, served as a lodging place for African Americans during the segregation era. The house today is the headquarters of the Danville chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Grasty Library, a branch of the Danville public library system for Black patrons, operated next door to the Yancey House from 1950 to 1969.
“On behalf of the mayor, the City Council, the City staff, and the citizens of our city, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all those involved in ensuring that these historic sites are recognized,” Mayo said.
“The Negro Motorist Green Book” was written by Victor Hugo Green and published in 1936. Many of these sites are no longer standing.
In January, Del. Michael P. Mullin introduced a bill to designate or approve supplementary plaques for historical highway markers identifying locations and businesses in Virginia that were featured in the Green Book. The General Assembly passed the bill. In March, the legislation was signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.