Most schools, especially public ones, tend to dance around the real history of race and race relations in this country. That neglect has been the norm for decades and has perpetuated ignorance in many communities. This unfortunate truth about American education revealed itself yet again on Wednesday after a white man shared that he recently learned what the Green Book was via Jeopardy!, much to Black Twitter’s dismay.

For those reading who aren’t familiar, The Negro Motorist Green Book, better known as the Green Book, saved many Black lives for the better half of the 20th century.

Published annually by Victor H. Green from 1936 to 1966, the book “was a guidebook for African American travelers that provided a list of hotels, boarding houses, taverns, restaurants, service stations and other establishments throughout the country that served African Americans patrons,” according to the Smithsonian’s Transcript Center. It’s an incredible part of Black American history, and it looks like most white people have no idea what it is.

“I just learned something on Jeopardy about 20th century history, I never knew,” wrote a white Twitter user, whose name appears to be Gary. “Without looking it up, do you know what the Green Book is?”

Black users were quick to weigh in with their responses.

“Yes! It’s a guide book for Black travelers. Places where we were welcome like restaurants and hotels or boarding houses,” one user commented.

“If you were Black & travelled in the 40’s-60’s you were well aware of the Green Book,” wrote another user. “The perils of traveling to & from the South made the guide a godsend. The entire notion you couldn’t just stop at any gas station or restaurant was always on the minds of Blk Folks — even today.”

Most Black folks were surprised white people didn’t know what the lifesaving book was.

“So you mean to tell me yt people are just finding out about the green book?” one user asked. “This is why an expansion of Black history is needed in history books because how are y’all this behind?”

“That so many white people are replying to this tweet saying they didn’t know about the Green Book reminds me of a three years ago when many white people finally learned about the Tulsa Race Riot because of an episode of Watchmen. This is a huge problem,” another user added.

One viewer pointed out that the Green Book is an important reminder about the realities of being Black in America — then and now.

“Whenever white people whine about any ‘advantages’ people of color have at times they should be reminded that white people never had to have a Green Book to move safely about the US,” they shared.

And another viewer pointed out that many people in the original tweet’s replies were urging folks to watch Green Book, a film on the subject starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. According to Indie Wire, the film received a lot of backlash from Black critics, claiming that it solely focused on Mortensen’s character’s redemption.

“Most of the comments to this tweet are white people telling each other to watch the film Green Book and now I want to scream,” a user wrote.

One viewer, who appears to be white, suggested their fellow Caucasians check out a book she showed her former students instead.

“My former students learned about the Green Book through this book I highly recommend,” they wrote.

And one Black viewer is seriously considering making a modern version of the Green Book.

“I’m seriously contemplating writing an updated version. Places for black folks to avoid in 2022,” they wrote.

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