Portsmouth Green Book Tour

Sankofa Scholar & Tour Guide: Nur Shoop

Journey into the world of Black travelers who navigated a segregated America, where every journey required courage, strategy, and community. This walking tour explores the Portsmouth sites that offered safety and welcome at a time when racial discrimination in the North often barred African Americans from hotels, restaurants, and public spaces.

Inspired by the Green Book, you’ll discover how travelers relied on networks of Black-owned businesses, private homes, and church communities to move without fear of humiliation or harm.

But the guidebook tells only part of the story. As you walk through the city, you’ll uncover the lives behind the listings—the people who opened their doors, the quiet acts of resistance, and the connections that made travel a joy.

You’ll also learn how these spaces supported civil rights organizing—and how many disappeared after 1964—leaving stories that continue to shape our understanding of belonging and access today.

This is a journey into the hidden networks of resilience that enabled freedom of movement.