A Different Kind of Travel Story
Whenever I travel, especially through unfamiliar towns or rural backroads, I always hear the echoes of a lesson passed down from generations before me:
It’s not paranoia. It’s protection.
For many of us in Black Gen X, travel has never been as simple as hopping in the car and hitting the road. The awareness that our parents and grandparents carried wasn’t about fear — it was about survival.
The Myth That Time Erases Danger
One of the greatest dangers we face today is believing that the past no longer applies.
Yes, the laws changed. The “Whites Only” signs came down. The overt barriers fell. But the people — and the mindsets — didn’t change overnight.
There were always individuals and communities that resisted progress, that quietly clung to the old ways. That’s why our elders didn’t stop teaching us to be careful. They understood that danger doesn’t disappear just because the date on the calendar changes.
The lessons we inherited were not about living in fear — they were about moving wisely.
The Generational Warning System
My father’s cousin grew up in Durant, Mississippi, and later moved to Chicago. But every summer, their family would drive back South to visit.
And before crossing that state line, her parents would always give “the talk."emember, baby — act
My mother’s cousin in Michigan shared a similar story. When she came home to Arkansas to visit, she had to adjust. The way she spoke, the way she dressed, even how she looked at certain people — all had to change for one simple reason: safety.
Imagine living in a time when your very survival depended on remembering where you were and how you moved.
That wasn’t paranoia — it was strategy.
From Emmett Till to Interstate 10
When people bring up Emmett Till, they often forget the painful truth: his family warned him about how to move in the South. Those warnings didn’t end with the Civil Rights Movement.
In 1996, when I was serving in the military, a fellow service member told me not to drive through a certain county after dark.
In 2008, a co-worker warned me about a small town I’d never heard of.
Different decade. Same message: “Be careful.”
These weren’t superstitions. They were survival codes — knowledge passed down to help us navigate a country that wasn’t always safe for us to move through freely.
It’s Not About Fear — It’s About Focus
Some people hear these stories and accuse us of “dwelling on the past.” But that misses the point.
Even if 99 percent of places are safe, that 1 percent can change your life forever if you’re not paying attention.
We shouldn’t have to play statistics with our safety.
For Black travelers, awareness has always been an act of self-care — and self-preservation.
The Past Isn’t Baggage — It’s a Blueprint
The older I get, the more I realize: the past isn’t a weight to carry — it’s a map.
The lessons we’ve inherited are not about mistrust; they’re about mindfulness. They remind us to stay alert, stay smart, and stay safe.
Because the moment we believe that “it can’t happen anymore”… is the moment it can happen again.
Sharing these stories doesn’t make us divisive. It makes us aware.
It reminds us that while progress has moved us forward, awareness keeps us alive.
🎧 Listen & Watch the Full Discussion
This reflection is part of my ongoing Black Get X Reflections series.
You can experience this story in multiple formats:
🎥 Watch the YouTube Video:
📺 “Lessons from the Past: Why Black Travelers Still Move Differently”
👉 YouTube.com/@intheknowwithtonyreeves
🎧 Listen to the Podcast Episode:
Available on
🔸 Spreaker
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/lessons-from-the-past-why-black-travelers-still-move-differently--68259779
🔸 Pandora
https://www.pandora.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves/lessons-from-the-past-why-black-travelers-still-move-differently/PE:1320362310?part=ug-desktop&corr=95790554670990940
💡 Final Thought
For Black travelers — past and present — moving with awareness isn’t about distrust.
It’s about legacy.
Our elders gave us tools to survive, not fears to carry.
And that’s a lesson worth remembering every time we hit the road.
📣 Stay Connected
Follow The Anthony Reeves Experience for more reflections on history, culture, and life through the eyes of a Black Gen Xer.
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