Black History Month is just around the corner and to celebrate it, the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend has opened a new exhibit.

It is called “The Not So Open Road,” and pays homage to the challenges African American families struggled with while they traveled American roadways before the civil rights era.

The exhibit shows visitors how Black travelers faced discrimination that White motorists did not, such as being refused service at restaurants and finding lodging at hotels.

“The automobile brought new frontiers, new places to go. It really opened up the county for Americans, but for the African-American community, it really brought the same problems they had at home to new and unfamiliar areas,” says Andrew Beckman, an archivist at the museum.

Museum workers say the exhibit is an important lesson in African American culture for not just history buffs, but anyone interested in learning something new.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults, $6.50 for senior citizens over 60 years-old, and $5 for children ages six to 18.