Course Guide ~ HIST 125 / Black Metropolis

This week, you will examine Black’s Blue Book city directory.

1. Look through pages 1-23 on the pdf. Note: the page numbers of the pdf do not match the page numbers printed on the directory. To make this simpler, the assignment will refer only to the pdf page numbers.

   1. What kind of directory is this? When was it published? Who is the intended audience?

   2. What kinds of products and services are advertised here?

   3. What is “indexed” in this section?

2. Look through pages 24-55 of the pdf.

   1. What kinds of businesses appear in this directory? Give some examples.

   2. Which businesses have the most listings?

   3. Can you guess why some businesses are listed in larger type than others?

   4. If you wanted to get a haircut in 1919, how would you use this directory to do this?

3. Look through pages  56-92 of the pdf.

   1. Which kinds of organizations and people are listed?

   2. What kinds of products and services are advertised?

   3. What other information does this section provide to readers?

4. Think about the directory as a whole to answer the following questions

   1. Who is the intended audience?

   2. How would you imagine using this directory?

   3. What are the important categories of black city life? Can you tell which businesses had more power? Which were most prevalent?

   4. What does a city directory show us? What does it not show us?

5. You will then pick one of the following kind of business or organization: undertakers, physicians, barbershops, churches, restaurants, real estate agencies, or tailors.

6. You will create a spreadsheet of at least 15 examples of this industry cited in the directory with their names and addresses. Save this spreadsheet as [YourLastName]Directory.xlxs.