In a time of racial prejudice, price gouging, and physical violence, safe travel was all but inaccessible to many Americans during the early 20^th century. Victor Hugo Green, pulling from his experiences as a Harlem-based postal worker, wrote a guide that would revolutionize travel for the Black community: The Negro Motorist Green Book. Published annually from 1936 to 1966, this travel guidebook provided a list of hotels, restaurants, and service stations from Connecticut to California that served Black patrons, some of which still stand today.

In this new special from National Geographic, travel consultant Martinique Lewis embarks on a coast-to-coast road trip to visit historically listed Green Book locations and modern Black travel destinations, hearing from local experts and exploring the Black businesses and safe havens that boomed in this time of racial strife. Lewis is an award-winning diversity in travel consultant and creator of The ABC Travel Greenbook, the premiere resource connecting travelers to the African diaspora globally.