Hidden Hospitality: Untold Stories of Black Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners from the Pioneer Days to the Civil Rights Era

Rediscover Black-Owned Hotels, Motels, and Resorts—and the History Behind Them

Throughout America’s history of slavery and segregation, Black travelers faced not only unwelcoming environments but also the challenge of finding safe places to rest and recharge. In response to this basic human need, courageous Black entrepreneurs carved out spaces within the dominant culture, creating a network of Black-owned establishments that offered comfort, dignity, and safety to Black travelers.

Calvin Stovall, a hospitality professional with nearly thirty years in the industry, brings this overlooked history to light in Hidden Hospitality: Untold Stories of Black Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners from the Pioneer Days to the Civil Rights Era. Stovall traces the inspiring journeys of these pioneers, highlighting the immense challenges they faced and the enduring impact of their establishments, which became vibrant hubs of Black culture where people could gather, celebrate, and be their authentic selves.

Through vivid storytelling and photographs, Stovall chronicles the full history of Black hospitality, from the Royal Navy Hotel—an eighteenth-century establishment managed by a free woman of color—to iconic Green Book-era destinations like the Majestic Hotel, a city unto itself, and the Hotel Theresa, where historic figures famously unpacked their bags. Along the way, he reveals how Black hoteliers built more than businesses; they created lively centers of Black art, music, and social life that shaped the culture around them.

As Black history scholarship continues to expand, a fuller picture of the Black experience emerges through stories corrected, broadened, or finally told. Stovall reminds us that the story of Black hospitality is far from over.