OGDEN, Utah (KUTV) — When it comes to “black” guides, many historians and researchers would likely agree that they are one of the best-kept secrets in years.
The guides captivated a young man from Utah State University researchers who are researching property listings in Utah.
Eden Marroquin, one of the researchers, said she enjoyed learning about the guides and Utah’s connections to Black history.
“And it’s kind of a covert, covert operation, you almost know?That black Americans published those books so they could sleep or dine safely,” Marroquin said.
This task is under the direction of Christine Cooper-Rompato, professor of English at Utah State University.
READ MORE: Investigators point to 1930s Utah hotel as area for black travelers
Marroquin tries to get general data on Utah businesses indexed in some guides.
Because those indexed places were thought to be safe for black travelers, passing through Utah, in the age of segregation.
“I think the fact that there’s enough data to know everything about those posts and the other people who stayed there and ran them is even more damning,” he said.
Marroquin’s includes the history of the Bushnell Motor Lodge.
This site is at 117 East and 7th Street in Brigham City.
Another site indexed as an area was Mountain View Court. Located at 563 W 24th Street in Ogden.
Xiomara Castro, another student involved in the project, said her team made a rare discovery while searching for guides.
It is the facade of Rutha Johnson’s house in Salt Lake City.
“And it was fair to see someone’s apartment listed, rather than just hotels. “So, I had a space for guests and provided them with food. So this one only appears in this guide, the American Bronze Guide,” Castro said.
So far, Rompato’s Black history study team has uncovered newspaper clippings to paint a larger picture of Rutha Johnson’s life.
“I think she’s very vital in the community. She’s a member of this club called the Nimble Thimble club, which you can assume probably looked like a sewing club or something,” Marroquin said.
Reports imply that Johnson helped raise cash for the Nettie Gregory Center structure in western Salt Lake.
READ MORE: Local Writer Highlights SLC’s Historic Black Community Center
Every little piece of information is a motivation for Marroquin to pursue higher studies in archival science.
“This task made me realize that this is what I was looking to do. I enjoyed every moment. I’m enjoying it, I’m obsessed at this point,” she said.
The data collected will be displayed in a special exhibit organized through the Sema Hadithi Foundation for African American Heritage and Culture. The long-awaited final touch to the task will take place in early autumn. To learn more about Sema Hadithi, click here.
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