Richmond Rest

Front: Richmond Rest, a popular African American tourist home, opened north of here by 1948. It was owned by Lillie Richmond (d.1966) and listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book. It was first housed in a 2-story frame residence on S. Griffin St. and moved to Richmond’s personal home on E. Evans St. c.1958. Among its most frequent lodgers were overnight workers from the nearby Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) rail yard. Richmond Rest likely closed in the early 1960s. Reverse: Richmond Rest was also used for meetings of local Black railroad unions. African Americans worked on Florence railroads since the 1800s. The national Association of Train Porters, Brakemen, and Switchmen organized in the city in 1918. Florence train firemen and others protested job discrimination in the railroad industry in the 1940s. Lodge No. 83 of the International Association of Railway Employees was founded in 1950 at Ace’s Grill, another Green Book site at Kemp and Cheves Sts.