Creating the Green Book Digital Archive was both a history lesson and a design challenge. I wanted the website to make the story of the Green Book easy to explore while being visually appealing and readable. Every design choice, from layout to colors and fonts, was meant intentional and was done with the purpose to make the website easier to navigate and understand.

I chose a centered layout with a maximum width of 1000 pixels to keep the site clean and organized. The sections are clearly separated, making it easy to navigate videos, images, timelines, and lists of locations. I avoided decorative cards or shadows to keep the design simple and let the historical content stand out, I really did not want to take away from the historical content.

The colors were carefully selected to match the archive theme. I used a range of greens with an off-white background. Greens suggest safety, growth, and resilience, which reflects the Green Book’s purpose. The off-white background kind of resembles old paper, giving the site a historical feel without making it hard to read.

I also focused on fonts to make the site clear and engaging. Libre Baskerville is used for body text because it is classic and easy to read, like a printed book it is just visibly appealing. Archivo is used for headings because it is clean and modern. Together, they create a clear structure and guide users through the content.

I faced a few challenges in building the site, one was balancing historical authenticity with modern usability. I wanted it to feel connected to the past but still easy to use. Another challenge was making videos, images, and lists responsive on all screen sizes. Essentially adding new content like trivia, historical events, and videos while keeping the design consistent across four pages also required me to make sure I was keeping the integrity of the website. I also initially struggled with the coding and making sure that the html was coded correctly.

In the future, I would like to add interactive features, such as a map of Green Book locations or an interactive timeline. Small hover effects on lists or images could also make the site more engaging without losing the archival feel.
Overall, this project showed me how design choices can tell a story. Colors, fonts, and layout are not just about looks, they affect how users experience history. The archive now provides a clean, readable, and educational space where people can explore the history of the Green Book and the resilience of Black travelers.