African American Culture & History

First published as "The Negro Motorist Green Book" by Victor H. Green in 1936, what came to be known simply as "Green Book" was a directory of hotels, restaurants, gas stations and other establishments that African Americans could patronize during segregation. Over the years, more than 300 North Carolina businesses appeared in "Green Book," some still standing — and a few still open — today. The North Carolina African American Heritage Commission’s Green Book Project documents and celebrates these businesses, the heart and soul of our state’s African American community. Relive history at actual "Green Book" sites and visit other places rich in this culture.

Walk in the footsteps of Harriet Jacobs in the coastal town of Edenton, take a seat where the sit-in movement began in Greensboro and explore other sites across North Carolina.

While Southern comfort cuisine and soul food use similar ingredients, it’s important to dig into the distinctions. Here, you can enjoy the best tastes of both.

Celebrate Black heritage, leadership and entrepreneurship across North Carolina, where a new generation of leaders is paving the way for the future.