Historian and Author Gretchen Sorin discusses 'Driving While Black'

Sorin explores the automobile's complex role in mobility and racial oppression

Gretchen Sorin, author of "Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights," shared her experience melding new archival research with her family's story to demonstrate how the automobile encouraged a new way of resisting oppression as Alvernia's Holleran Lecture SEARCH Keynote speaker at the university's Flynn PLEX. The Holleran Lecture, sponsored by Alvernia University's First Year Program and the Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagementis part of Alvernia's First Year SEARCH Seminar: Enduring Questions.

"This lecture serves as an important touchstone in our broader efforts to foster civil discourse on campus," said Alvernia University President, Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D. "At a time when meaningful conversation can seem more difficult than ever, we at Alvernia are dedicated to creating spaces where open dialogue and diverse perspectives are not only encouraged but essential. Our commitment to civil dialogue and freedom of expression, rooted in the values of our Franciscan Catholic tradition, is foundational to the education we offer."

Sorin's book and her extensive research, which is the basis of a major PBS documentary by Gretchen Sorin and Ric Burns of the same title, guided the talk. Sorin encapsulated her research for the book by discussing the importance of free movement and mobility in a democratic society, particularly for African Americans. Her talk highlighted how travel has historically been restricted for African Americans through various means such as enslavement, segregation, and discriminatory laws.

She also discussed how these barriers were not only legal but also social and deeply embedded in the fabric of American society. In addition, she presented the automobile as a liberating force and a symbol of personal agency, allowing African Americans to bypass public transportation systems that were designed to enforce segregation. Sorin discussed how African Americans used their disposable income to purchase cars and travel and the ability to travel freely was not just about physical movement but also about claiming dignity and self-determination.

"I think one reason historians have failed in some ways is because it's all about reading the chapter and answering the questions at the end and it's not about people, it's not about stories," said Sorin. "What I wanted to do was to be a historian that really started with people and talk about those stories. I want to tell the stories through the voices of the people who lived within that specific time...you can really engage people in a way because history is fascinating; its who we are."

All Alvernia's first-year students read Sorin's bookas part of the SEARCH course lecture. Following the lecture, students had the opportunity to ask Sorin questions based on her book and her experiences as well as get their copies signed.

"The talk was real and a necessary conversation that needed to be had, but Dr. Sorin spoke in a way that was engaging and easy to understand," said President of Alvernia's Black Student Union, Giavanni Gibson '27 who provided the mission moment. "I think it's important for the first-year students to know and understand the origin of these issues that are prevalent in today's society... It was interesting how her talk was about how exciting the automobile was to the Black community and how quickly that joy was stripped and turned into something that Black Americans had to use with caution. Ultimately, I think her talk was highly informative, well said, and overall necessary."

Designed specifically for new college students, the First-Year SEARCH Seminar promotes academic success, personal growth, and community engagement by emphasizing the expectations and values of Alvernia's academic community. This three-credit course required for graduation focuses on cultivating success skills, advising and vocation, ethical leadership, and being a part of Alvernia University's mission-driven community. With these four areas serving as points of reference, students are supported through their first semester to help them become aware, active, and intentional learners.