In the heart of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, during a time when segregation shaped every corner of public life, a group of African American entrepreneurs decided to rewrite the rules. Upon doing so, they built a legacy. The Safe Bus Company, founded in 1926, became the largest Black-owned transportation company in the world. And yet, many people have never heard of it.
The story begins with 13 Black jitney drivers who were being pushed out by city regulations favoring white-owned transit systems. Instead of giving up and letting go of the ideal of driving, they pooled their savings and formed the Safe Bus Company. Harvey F. Morgan, one of the original founders of the Safe Bus Company, became the company’s first president. Under his leadership, Safe Bus grew rapidly, serving thousands of passengers daily and becoming a cornerstone of the community. The name wasn’t just branding but a promise: to offer safe, dignified, and professional transportation for Black residents who were often denied access to public services.
Safe Bus wasn’t just about getting people from point A to point B. It was about mobility in every sense of the word. It gave Black residents access to jobs, schools, and businesses. It created employment opportunities — not just for drivers, but for mechanics, dispatchers, and administrators. It was a source of pride, a symbol of what Black communities could build when given the chance.
At its peak, Safe Bus operated over 75 buses and served more than 8,000 passengers a day. It was so successful that in 1968, when the city’s white-owned transit company folded, Winston-Salem asked Safe Bus to take over the entire city’s transportation system. One of the most inspiring chapters in Safe Bus history is the leadership of Mary Miller Burns Green, the daughter of one of the original founders. She became the company’s president — a rare feat for a woman in transportation, especially in the mid-20th century. Her leadership helped carry the company through its final years before it was absorbed into the Winston-Salem Transit Authority in 1972.
Safe Bus is a powerful example of Black entrepreneurship, cooperative economics, and community resilience. It reminds us that when systems exclude, Black communities innovate. They build. They thrive. As one descendant put it, “Segregation gave birth to Safe Bus, and integration ended it.” But its legacy lives on.
You can explore more historical photos and documents from these sources:
• NC Transportation Museum
• Black History Heroes
• WUNC Archive Feature