Overview
This initiative seeks to identify the remaining Green Book sites, document the current conditions, and preserve the physical locations in Buffalo, NY. The Green Book was also known as the Negro Motorist Green Book—a travel guide published between 1936 and 1966 that helped African American travelers find safe accommodations, restaurants, and services during the Jim Crow era.
The Importance of the Green Book
The Green Book, created by Victor Hugo Green, was a vital resource for Black Americans navigating a segregated and often hostile country. It listed thousands of businesses across the U.S. that welcomed Black patrons, offering a lifeline of safety and dignity during travel. Buffalo, as a major northern city and transportation hub, had a significant number of these sites.
Phase One: Research and Mapping
In the summer of 2025, Jakob Saeli, a Cornell High Road Fellow, spearheaded the first phase of the initiative. His work focused on:
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- Identifying Green Book Sites: Using archival research, city directories, and historical maps, to identify the 16 remaining Green Book sites in Buffalo.
- Mapping and Documentation: The creation of a comprehensive digital map that overlays historical data with current city infrastructure, allowing users to explore where these sites were and what stands there today.
- Photographic Survey: A visual survey of the remaining structures, capturing their current condition and architectural features.
- Webinar on Phase One Research: A webinar for Phase One of the research. This can be seen on YouTube: Preserving Black History: Buffalo’s Green Book Sites – Phase One – YouTube or on the embedded video below.
Phase Two: 16 Demolished Green Book Sites
Phase Two of the Green Book Sites Initiative was completed by PBN’s Fall 2025 Intern, Junah Sibony. While Phase One highlighted the 16 surviving Green Book sites in Buffalo, Phase Two shifts attention to 16 of the 106 sites that have since been demolished, underscoring the scale of loss and the importance of preservation. This work continues to expand our understanding of Buffalo’s Green Book history and its impact on Black travel and community life. If you missed this important Lunch and Learn, please visit our YouTube channel to watch the full program.
Here is an interactive map of the remaining Green Book sites in Buffalo, NY.
Green Pins = Green Book Sites that remain standing.
Black Pins = Green Book Sites that have been demolished.
- Surviving Structures: Of the 120+ sites identified, approximately 16 buildings still stand, though many have been repurposed or are in disrepair.
- Neighborhood Clusters: Many of the sites were concentrated in historically Black neighborhoods such as the Fruit Belt, Broadway-Fillmore, and East Side.
- Types of Businesses: The listings included hotels, beauty salons, taverns, gas/service stations, and restaurants.
Community Engagement and Next Steps
PBN is committed to ensuring that this history is not only preserved but also shared with the public.
Future phases of the initiative hope to include:- Historic Plaques and Markers: To commemorate surviving sites and educate the public.
- Oral Histories: Gathering stories from community members who remember these businesses and their owners.
- Policy Advocacy: Working with city officials to protect these sites through landmark status or inclusion in heritage districts.
Why It Matters
This initiative is more than a preservation project—it’s a reclamation of Black history in Buffalo. By spotlighting these sites, PBN is helping to restore visibility to the people and places that shaped the city’s cultural and economic landscape. It also serves as a model for other cities seeking to honor their own Green Book legacies.