Driving the Green Book with Alvin Hall - Library Fest 2026 Keynote Speaker

About the event

In honor of 2026 marking 90 years since the original publication of The Green Book in 1936,

we invite you to join us for:

Library Fest Keynote Speaker - Alvin Hall in conversation with Adrienne Nirdé discussing "Driving the Green Book"

Alvin Hall set out to revisit the world of the Green Book. With his friend Janée Woods Weber, he drove from New York to Detroit to New Orleans, visiting the motels, restaurants, and stores. We will explore landmarks, from the theaters and clubs where stars like Duke Ellington and Lena Horne performed to the Lorraine Motel to what landmarks and business still stand in Durham. Along the way, they gathered memories from some of the last living witnesses for whom the Green Book served as a primary guide for navigating their journeys. Join us as we explore how the physical landscape and landmarks of the U.S. have changed for travelers over the years.

You will also have the chance to see The North Carolina African American Heritage Commission's traveling exhibit about Green Book history in North Carolina.

About the Author

Letters Community Bookshop will be on-site for anyone wanting to purchase (Card/contactless) a copy to take home!

Hall will sit in conversation with Adrienne Nirdé

Adrienne Nirdé (pronounced "Near-day") was appointed as the Director of the NC African American Heritage Commission in June 2023. Prior to this role, she served as the Commission's Associate Director where her role focused on grant project management, heritage trails, and communications.

For over ten years Adrienne has worked in museums and cultural institutions including the President James K. Polk State Historic Site in Pineville, NC, and the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC. She holds a master's degree in museum studies and bachelor's degrees in history and anthropology, all from Indiana University. Adrienne is a graduate of the Jekyll Island Management Institute and the Smithsonian's Ethical Interpretation Workshop. Adrienne has always had a primary interest in sharing diverse stories, particularly those have not yet been told and centering the communities that hold them.

NC African American Heritage Commission Green Book Project

Did you know there is one business still in existence in Durham that advertised in the original Green Book?

Check out Friendly City Barber Shop for a piece of history that is still lasting!

Tonight's event is brought to you by

and sponsored in part by Duke University Libraries

Where can I park when the Main Library parking lot is full?

Parking is available in the library parking lot or at the North Queen Street Garage located at 115 North Queen Street which is behind the apartments directly across the street from the library. Parking is free in the garage. Please bring your ticket to a service desk in the library for validation.