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March 13 - Up South

Step one – watching and discussing the movie Up South (45 minutes).

As you watch, think about these questions. 

(1) Why – and how -- did African-Americans move from the rural South to the urban North. 

(2) Was the movement North organized? Spontaneous? Both? 

(3) What were the arguments for going North? For staying in the South? 

(4) What were the obstacles to moving North? What were the factors that made the move possible? 

(5) What was good about life in the North? Bad? 

(6) On balance were the migrants better off in the North? Worse off? The same? Did most want to stay? Were most ready to encourage family and friends to come North?

Step two – Examining the Jacob Lawrence Migration of the Negro series (20 minutes).

First, you may want to gather some biographical information about Lawrence. Click http://www.northbysouth.org/1998/art/pages/lawrence.htm.

Second, right click here.  A menu will appear.  Click "Open in New Window."   Then return to this window  and go to Blackboard.  Click course documents, then Jacob Lawrence Great Migration Series. 

Next click Jacob Lawrence Migration Series. 

Browse the Powerpoint presentation of the Migration of the Negro Series. Then with your partner, choose three panels that you find particualry interesting, striking, insightful and/or moving.

Discuss the the panels. What do they convey about the Great Migration experience? What do they add to your knowledge and understanding of the Great Migration? In what ways do the film and the Lawrence panels give you a similar understanding of this experience.? In what ways do they provide a different ways of looking at and understanding this historical event? Explain your answer. 
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You may also want to look at some first person interviews of those who migrated North. Click here.