KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ruby Jean's Juicery and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum are now in the spotlight for a worldwide audience.
“I think it serves as a pivotal way to focus on and highlight Black culture in Kansas City,” said Bob Kendrick, NLBM president.
The two KC staples were featured in National Geographic's film "Black Travel Across America," available on Disney Plus.
Ruby Jean’s is even featured in the cover photo.
“All that sacrifice, all that love, all of that hard work, to see it celebrated on the largest of stages, it’s humbling,” said Chris Goode, owner and founder of Ruby Jean’s Juicery.
The documentary was created to look at life on the road through pages of the "Green Book."
“The Green Book is essentially a AAA magazine for Black folks,” Kendrick said. “Highlighted places — entertainment, hotels, restaurants, service stations — that were welcoming to Black folks.”
Kansas City native Sheryl Carter was in attendance for the documentary viewing at the Gem Theater Sunday. She says she remembers the days of traveling by way of the Green Book.
“It actually brought back memories, some of them not good because a lot of Blacks my age and older have experienced a lot of the racism,” Carter said.
However, she is pleased to see how the documentary represents Kansas City and traveling while Black.
“It brought back a future, it brings back hope, it brings back liveliness and growth,” she said.
Despite the success of the screening, Goode says more work remains.
“We will take this notoriety, we will take this popularity, we will take this energy from being on this global stage and we will pour it right back into the soul of this community,” he said.
