Today we’re looking at an issue of The Southern Workman, a monthly journal published from 1812–1939 by Virginia’s Hampton Institute Press. Founded shortly after the Civil War as the Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, the Hampton Institute trained Black and Indigenous students to become teachers and community leaders, as well as offering vocational skills that would enable them to support themselves in the impoverished South. One of their most famous alumni was Booker T. Washington, who returned to teach at the school before moving on to the Tuskegee Institute. Interest in Black history-related books and ephemera is growing, and items like this—undervalued for too long—are waiting to be archived, studied, and discovered by collectors.
Brattlecast #147 - Specialized Travel Guides
Today we’re talking about older travel guides written for people from historically marginalized groups. With the advent of the internet, planning a trip is easier than ever, and most of us take it for granted that we’ll be welcomed at our destination rather than hassled or even harmed. Sadly, this was not always the case, especially for Black Americans, the LGBTQ+ community, and women traveling alone. We’ll take a look at some of the guides that helped folks stay safe and comfortable on the road, from The Green Book to The Bob Damron Address Book. They’re sad artifacts in a way, but also testaments to community, resilience, and quiet subversion.