Posted in: Comics | Tagged: about comics, california negro directory

About Comics to Republish the California Negro Directory: 1942-43 Edition

Published Fri, 27 Apr 2018 14:30:31 -0500

About Comics is a publisher who have dedicated themselves to keeping important publications ignored by many in print. This has included collections of non-Peanuts work of Charles Schulz, the novels of Robert Mayer, and a graphic novel The Liberty Project by Kurt Busiek and James W. Fry. They also published the The Negro Motorist Green-Book: 1940, The Negro Travelers' Green Book: 1954, and Travelers' Green Book: 1963-1964 International Edition from the days of segregation to much public interest, and are now following that with the California Negro Directory: 1942-43.

The Green Book,was intended for black people and families travelling across state, and from state to state, to find safe, welcoming places to rest and stay on their journey. On the other hand, the California Negro Directory was intended for the local community. First published in 1942, it contained business listings and ads for both black-owned and black-friendly businesses in California, Washington and Oregon.

It also contained address and telephone numbers for every adult African-American resident they could find, and About Comics highlights "Robinson, Jack 121 Pepper St… SY 76743" in the book as being the Pasadena address and phone number of baseball's Jackie Robinson, as well as the introductory notes by the Governor of California, selling the qualities of living in the state, and encouraging black citizens of the US to move there.

California Negro Directory: 1942-43 facsimile edition is available from Amazon and wholesales directly from About Comics.