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I have the most amazing conversations with my oldest daughter Sonja. She lives and works in New York City, and she writes for the City’s Positive Community Magazine. She meets the most interesting people. A lot of our conversations are about some of the people she’s met.

Three years ago, she called me, and I could almost hear her excitement before our conversation began. “Mommy!” she exclaimed, “I’ve got someone I want you to call, and Mommy you should ask him to come to the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum. He could do a fascinating talk about the Green Book for you. He has written a book, ‘Ruth and the Green Book’ and that book was made into a movie. I met him when I was in Harlem at an event. He told me he was from North Carolina. I told him my parents were from North Carolina, from a town named Washington. Well, he had heard of Washington, and I told him that was where my family had started a Black history museum there. I don’t think he believed me at first, but he Googled the museum, and he saw for himself, the museum did exist. “Anyway,” she continued, “here’s his contact info. His name is Calvin Alexander Ramsey. Call him, I think he will come to Washington.”

I indeed reached out to Mr. Ramsey, and we had a wonderful conversation. He was really receptive to coming to Washington. When I told him how Washington had been featured in the Green Book for many years with its two locations, Dr. Lloyd’s Medical Office and Pharmacy and Mr. Pomp Credle’s Starlight Dance and Entertainment Club on Gladden Street, his interest in Washington really increased.

Since there are many parallels to the Underground Railroad and the Green Book (which was often referred to as the ‘overground railroad,’ I felt Mr. Ramsey would be a great fit for a presentation at the museum. But then I thought about the amazing Kelly Shanafelt at the Ats of the Pamlico and Historic Turnage Theater. I called Kelly and told her about Mr. Ramsey and the Green Book. She started making plans for Mr. Ramsey to come to Washington. The theater would show the movie, and Mr. Ramsey would give a talk about his book. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in April Mr. Ramsey came to the Turnage and shared with us about his work, his book and the movie. He also attended the Green Book Walking Tour I gave with Kelly and other attendees. Kelly and her AOP team provided transportation to and from Washington, a place for Mr. Ramsey to stay and made sure he had everything he needed. He was so appreciative and praised their hospitality.

Kelly began to make plans to bring him back to Washington when he told her about his new play, ‘The Green Book.’ She reached out to Arts of the Pamlico Arts Council, the ECU School of Theatre and Dance, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and with the help of so many wonderful local people and organizations, they brought Mr. Ramsey and his play to Washington.

Space does not allow me to name each person and organization individually, but I want them to know, as the young people would say when someone or something greatly exceeds their expectation “ya’ll did that!’

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart and the hearts of hundreds of people who saw the play. Thank you, Kelly and AOP for seeing the vision of what the play could do and be. Thank you, Mr. Ramsey, for coming to Washington. Thank you, ECU School of Theatre and Dance, and all involved in the production, and the many people and organizations who brought Mr. Ramsey and the play to Washington.

And Sonja, Mr. Ramsey said of you, “Sonja is the real hero for my visits to Washington. Thank you, Sonja!”