During the twentieth century, the Great Migration transformed the demographic landscape of America and led to lasting social, economic, and cultural changes. In this virtual program, three scholars will discuss aspects of the Great Migration that are often overlooked in history books.
From 1916 through about 1970, more than 6 million African Americans left their homes in the rural South to seek greater opportunities in the Northeast, Midwest, and West, a movement known as the Great Migration. Tune in as Matthew Cressler (College of Charleston), Courtney Pierre Joseph (Lake Forest College), and Lionel Kimble (Chicago State University) provide new perspectives on one of the most significant movements of American history.
About the Speakers:
Matthew Cressler is assistant professor of religious studies at the College of Charleston and the author of Authentically Black and Truly Catholic: The Rise of Black Catholicism in the Great Migration (New York University Press, 2017). He holds a PhD from Northwestern University.
Courtney Pierre Joseph is assistant professor of history and African American studies at Lake Forest College. She holds a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and studies the diaspora of Haitian people, especially to Chicago.
Lionel Kimble is associate professor of history at Chicago State University and the author of A New Deal for Bronzeville: Housing, Employment, and Civil Rights in Black Chicago, 1935-1955 (Southern Illinois University Press, 2015). He holds a PhD from the University of Iowa.
Download a PDF of suggested readings, as well as other resources mentioned during the program.
This event is funded by a grant from the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.
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