Great Migrations: A People on the Move
Explores the transformative impact of Black migration on American culture and society. From the waves of Black Americans to the North—and back South—over the last century to the growing number of immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean today, movement is a defining feature of the Black experience.
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Seasons & Episodes
1. Exodus
Episode one of Great Migrations explores the first wave of the Great Migration (1910-1940), a collective leap into the unknown as more than a million Black Americans fled the Jim Crow South for the promised lands of the North. In the face of some of the country’s worst racist violence, these migrants established thriving Black neighborhoods, wielded political power, and redefined American culture.
2. Streets Paved with Gold
Episode 2 of Great Migrations explores the second wave of the Great Migration (1940-1970) within the context of World War II and its aftermath. It traces how Northern and Western Black communities evolved through migration, which intensified housing tensions while also transforming the cultural and political power of Black America.
3. One Way Ticket Back
Episode 3 of Great Migrations reflects on how the 1970s marked a turning point in American history. For the first time in 60 years, more Black people were moving to the South than leaving it. Driven by mass movements and economic change, the reverse migration shows how Black Americans’ never-ending search for freedom and opportunity continues to shape the country today.
4. Coming to America
Episode 4 of Great Migrations tells the story of African and Caribbean immigrants in the 20th and 21st centuries. It traces their journeys to the United States, the contributions they have made to the nation’s economy and culture, and how they have impacted what it means to be Black in America.
