>>> A TRAVELING EXHIBIT OF THE INSTITUTION HAS MADE ITS WAY TO A NORTHERN SUBURB OF CHICAGO TO SHOWCASE WHAT IT WAS LIKE DRIVING WHILE BLACK DURING THE JIM CROW ERA.

OUR CORRESPONDENT ANGEL IDOWU RECALLS THIS CRITICAL -- DRIVERS AT THAT TIME.

>> YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL ON THE ROAD.

JIM CROW ONE THAT PEOPLE LIKE US.

REMAIN DRIVING WHILE BLACK, ESPECIALLY DURING THE JIM CROW ERA, IT WAS NOT SAFE FOR BLACK AMERICANS.

IT ISN'T GOING TO DETAIL IF THE TOWN IS A -- TOWN, IF YOU WILL BE SERVED AT THE RESTAURANT.

IF YOU HAD TO ENTER THROUGH THE BACK DOOR.

BY CREATING THE GREEN BOOK, HE WAS MAKING BLACK LIVES MATTER , MORE ENJOYABLE, SAFER.

>> IN 1936, THE GREEN BOOK WAS CREATED BY HARLAN HARLAN POSTMAN.

IT WAS MODELED AFTER ANOTHER BUT THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED FOR JEWISH TRAVELERS DURING THAT TIME.

>> FOR US, WE ARE A HOLOCAUST MUSEUM.

BECAUSE OF THE HOLOCAUST, IT IS ALSO PART OF OUR MISSION THAT WE LOOK AT OTHER SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, HUMAN RIGHT ATROCITIES.

CERTAINLY, THE JIM CROW ERA AND SEGREGATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

REMEMBERS AMAZINGLY CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND ALMOST SIMPLE RESPONSE TO IT IS SOMETHING WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.

WE EDUCATE PEOPLE THROUGH WHAT WE HAVE ON THE HOLOCAUST AND ON OTHER ISSUES SO THAT WE CAN CREATE A MORE ACTIVE AND ENGAGED -- THAT WILL ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND FIGHT FOR A BETTER SOCIETY.

MET FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS, IT LED LIKE TRAVERS DOWN ROADS BY OUTLINING RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, SAFEHOUSES, AND OTHER SAFE SPACES THEY COULD GO WITHOUT FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES.

CHICAGO -- CAME TO VISIT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES OF HER SOUTHERN FAMILY LIKE HER AUNT.

>> WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING THROUGH A TOWN IN MISSISSIPPI, HER CHILDREN WERE IN THE BACK SEAT.

SHE WAS ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE TOWN WITHOUT ANYONE STOPPING HER BECAUSE SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS WHITE.

HER CHILDREN WERE BLACK AND LOOKED BLACK.

SO WHAT SHE DID, SHE PUT THEM IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR AND TOLD THEM TO LAY DOWN.

SHE TOOK A BLANKET, COVERED THEM WITH THE BLANKET AND TOLD THEM NOT TO MOVE, NOT TO TALK WHILE SHE DROVE THROUGH THE TOWN.

>> THE GREAT MIGRATION AND ROUTE 66 BOTH PLAY A PART IN THE MARKING CHICAGO'S PRESENCE.

IT SPECIFICALLY MADE UP 80% OF THE CITY'S LISTENINGS.

MATT THE AMOUNT OF BLACK AMERICANS THAT CAME UP TO CHICAGO, AND THEN TRAVELING BACK SOUTH TO VISIT FAMILY, CHICAGO IS ALSO THE STARTING POINT OF ROUTE 66, WHICH IS THE WAY IN WHICH YOU WOULD REALLY GET WEST.

WE HAVE NOT ONLY THIS INCREDIBLE -- FROM THE MOTHERLAND, WHICH WAS AN HOTEL AND CLUB.

TODAY, IT IS AN APARTMENT BUILDING.

WE ALSO HAVE A PROJECTION THAT INCLUDES SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WERE LISTED IN THE GREEN BOOK.

THERE WERE ABOUT 200 BUSINESSES THAT WERE LISTED OVER THE YEARS THAT WERE IN CHICAGO.

ABOUT 30 OF THE BUILDING STILL EXISTS, AND ABOUT TWO OF THE BUSINESSES STILL EXIST.

>> THE NAME CHANGED WHEN THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 WAS PASSED, EXPANDING -- BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES HAD TO COMPETE WITH THE BIGGER FRANCHISES WHICH HAD MORE RESOURCES AND FEWER OBSTACLES.

AT LEAST HALF OF THE BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED LESS THAN A DECADE LATER.

>> WE CAN'T FORGET OUR HISTORY.

IT IS IMPORTANT, NOT JUST FOR THIS MONTH, BUT FOR EVERY DAY.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

ASK YOUR GRANDPARENTS, LET THE GREAT-GRANDPARENTS WHILE THEY ARE ALIVE SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND ALSO RECORDED.

THAT WAY WON'T BE FORGOTTEN.