No discussion of pioneers in the hospitality industry is complete without addressing the significant impact of African American women.
The Green Book provided an avenue for African American women to defy traditional gender stereotypes and achieve a measure of independence by having their businesses listed in the historic Black travel publication.
Tourist homes or private residences with a room for rent provided lodging options for Black travelers where hotels were sparse or non-existent. Most of them were owned or operated by married or widowed women. Tourist homes had become a popular way for many people to earn income during the Great Depression. But for African Americans, these accommodations addressed an additional necessity for travelers: safety.
The Green Book listed over 1,400 tourist homes throughout its existence: In fact, 90% of all Green Book sites in Nebraska and Michigan — except Detroit — were tourist homes.
Although Green Book creator Victor Green’s wife, Alma, was not credited as editor and publisher until 1959, there is no doubt her contributions to the publication’s growth were significant and long-lasting. She eventually ran the entire operation following Victor’s death in 1960.
Alma Green was just one of many powerful and formidable African American women throughout hospitality history. Others include Alberta Northcutt Ellis, proprietress of Albert’s Hotel in Springfield, Missouri; Modjeska Simkins, who ran the Hotel Simbeth in Columbia, South Carolina; and Madame Sara Spencer Washington, who purchased the Brigantine Hotel in Brigantine Island, New Jersey.
Another prominent African American hotelier was Rebecca Groundage Howard. Rebecca was born in Philadelphia in 1827. Very little is known of her early life, except that she was most likely born into slavery. On Nov. 2, 1843, she married a 33-year-old African American cooper named Alexander Howard in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
In 1859, Rebecca and Alexander moved to Olympia, in what was then the Washington Territory. Very few African Americans lived in Washington Territory at that time. Despite that, during an era of great prejudice, racism and sexism, Rebecca was able to create a prosperous business and achieve considerable wealth.
The Howards became hoteliers, leasing and later buying the “Pacific House,” a hotel and restaurant originally built in 1854 and operated by Colonel William Cock. In the fall of 1859, Alexander Howard advertised that an unnamed restaurant had been renovated and opened to meals and lodgers. In 1860, the Howards took over the operation of the Pacific House, renaming it the Pacific Restaurant.
The Pacific Restaurant quickly became popular among both travelers and territory politicians. Rebecca Howard discovered that she was a good entrepreneur, changing the name of the establishment in 1862 to the Pacific Hotel and Restaurant, which emphasized that lodging accommodations were also available to travelers.
Rebecca Howard was clearly the face of the Pacific House as “hostess,” becoming the person most associated with the hotel. Rebecca was esteemed for her cooking skills, providing meals at any time of the day or week. Realizing her establishment’s popularity would result in increased expenses, she changed her “meal at any time” food policy to “Meals after eight o’clock extra.” She also began advertising in the Seattle Gazette as well as the local Olympia paper.
Stories have been recorded about Rebecca Howard, especially about how she preferred to be addressed by others. Many patrons tried to call her “Aunt Becky” which to her was racially condescending. Rebecca allowed only her close friends to call her that, firmly asserting she was to be addressed as “Mrs. Howard,” a title of respect, by everyone else. When the newly installed Governor Pickering called her “Aunt Becky,” she gave him a stern look and informed him that, to the best of her knowledge, she was not a sister of either his father or mother.
Under her phenomenal management, the Pacific House became one of the most prominent hotels in the Territory. The Pacific House achieved acclaim as a fine, well-run establishment comparable with restaurants and hotels in San Francisco. The Howards became two of the wealthiest people in Olympia. In 1870, it was shown that there were 221 taxpayers listed on the Census in the Washington Territory. All were white men, except Rebecca Howard, whose wealth exceeded $50,000 in property. As the leading hotel in town, the property often served as a meeting place for lawmakers and lobbyists from party organizers. Also, many dignitaries stayed at the hotel including President Rutherford Hayes and his wife Lucy.
Although the Howards had no children of their own, in 1877 they officially adopted Isaac Ingalls Stevens Glasgow, the son of Thomas W. Glasgow and a Native American woman. It was rumored that Glasgow had been mistreating his son. The Howards renamed the young man Frank Alexander Howard, the name he kept for the remainder of his life.
Rebecca Howard died on Sunday, July 10, 1881, of a stroke at the age of 54. Many mourned her death. When Rebecca Howard died, 26 pages were needed to enumerate her property which was valued at over $6,200.00. Alexander died nine years later. He was buried next to his wife in the Masonic Cemetery in Tumwater, Washington.
Frank Howard eventually sold the Pacific House. The Pacific House fell into ruin and was eventually demolished in September 1902. Serving for a time as the pole yard for the Olympia Telephone Company, the site is now a parking lot next to the Bread Peddler.
Calvin Stovall is a keynote speaker, author and hospitality historian with ICONIC Presentations, LLC. He has nearly 30 years of experience in the hospitality, including as a front desk clerk at the Holiday Inn City Centre in downtown Chicago and vice president of brand marketing with Hilton.
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