The Warmth of Other Suns

1. The Great Migration: A Transformative Movement of African Americans

Over the course of six decades, some six million black southerners left the land of their forefathers and fanned out across the country for an uncertain existence in nearly every other corner of America.

A demographic shift. The Great Migration, spanning from 1915 to 1970, was one of the most significant population movements in American history. It reshaped the demographic landscape of the United States, as African Americans moved from rural Southern areas to urban centers in the North and West.

Motivations and impact. Driven by a combination of factors including:

• Escaping racial oppression and violence in the Jim Crow South
• Seeking better economic opportunities in industrial cities
• Pursuing greater personal and political freedoms

The Great Migration had profound effects on:

• Urban development and culture in major cities
• The civil rights movement and racial politics
• American art, music, and literature

2. Escaping Jim Crow: Pursuit of Freedom and Opportunity

"I was leaving the South to fling myself into the unknown.… I was taking a part of the South to transplant in alien soil, to see if it could grow differently, if it could drink of new and cool rains, bend in strange winds, respond to the warmth of other suns and, perhaps, to bloom."

Breaking free from oppression. The Jim Crow system in the South enforced a rigid racial hierarchy through laws, customs, and violence. African Americans faced:

• Segregation in public spaces and services
• Economic exploitation through sharecropping and limited job opportunities
• Constant threat of racial violence and lynching
• Disenfranchisement and lack of political representation

Hope for a better life. The North and West, while not free from racism, offered:

• Greater economic opportunities in factories and other industries
• Less overt racial segregation and violence
• The possibility of political participation and civil rights

3. The Pioneers: Ida Mae, George, and Robert's Journeys North

"I was hoping," he said years later. "I was hoping I would be able to live as a man and express myself in a manly way without the fear of getting lynched at night."

Personal stories of migration. The book follows three individuals whose experiences illustrate the broader narrative of the Great Migration:

1. Ida Mae Brandon Gladney:

   • Left Mississippi for Chicago in 1937
   • Sought escape from sharecropping and racial violence

2. George Swanson Starling:

   • Fled Florida for New York in 1945
   • Escaped potential lynching after organizing fruit pickers

3. Robert Joseph Pershing Foster:

   • Moved from Louisiana to California in 1953
   • Pursued professional opportunities as a surgeon

Their journeys highlight:

• The diverse motivations and experiences of migrants
• The challenges and opportunities faced in new urban environments
• The lasting impact of the Great Migration on individuals and families

4. Challenges in the Promised Land: Housing, Jobs, and Discrimination

"Negro migrants confronted a solid wall of prejudice and labored under great disadvantages in these attempts to find new homes," Abbott wrote.

Harsh realities of urban life. Despite escaping the overt oppression of the South, migrants faced significant challenges in their new homes:

Housing:

• Restricted to overcrowded, substandard "black belts" or ghettos
• Paid higher rents for worse conditions than white residents
• Faced hostility and violence when attempting to move into white neighborhoods

Employment:

• Limited to low-paying, often dangerous industrial jobs
• Excluded from many unions and skilled trades
• Used as strikebreakers, creating tension with white workers

Discrimination:

• Encountered less overt but still pervasive racism in the North and West
• Faced de facto segregation in schools, public spaces, and social life
• Experienced police brutality and unequal treatment in the justice system

5. Cultural Impact: Reshaping American Cities and Society

Harlem had become majority black, its residents having built institutions like the Abyssinian Baptist Church, regaling white audiences at the Cotton Club, reciting poetry at private salons, running numbers rackets, and baptizing themselves in the Harlem and East Rivers.

Urban transformation. The influx of African American migrants dramatically changed the cultural landscape of major cities:

New cultural centers:

• Harlem Renaissance in New York
• Bronzeville in Chicago
• Central Avenue in Los Angeles

Artistic and musical innovations:

• Jazz, blues, and R&B music
• Literature and poetry
• Visual arts and theater

Social and political movements:

• Civil rights organizations and activism
• Black churches as community centers
• Development of black-owned businesses and media

The Great Migration's impact extended beyond African American communities, influencing mainstream American culture and challenging racial norms across the country.

6. Misconceptions and Realities: The True Nature of Migrants

Overall, southern migrants represented the most educated segment of the southern black population they left, the sociologist Stewart Tolnay wrote in 1998.

Challenging stereotypes. Contrary to popular perceptions at the time, research has shown that migrants were often:

• Better educated than those who remained in the South
• More likely to be from urban areas than straight from rural plantations
• More likely to be married and have stable families
• More ambitious and resourceful than average

Migrant advantages. Studies have found that migrants often:

• Had higher labor force participation rates
• Earned more than northern-born blacks despite discrimination
• Were less likely to be on welfare or in poverty
• Showed greater resilience and determination to succeed

These findings challenge the narrative of migrants as unskilled, uneducated, and socially disorganized, highlighting their positive contributions to their new communities.

7. Legacy of the Great Migration: Enduring Effects on Race Relations

The Great Migration would become a turning point in history. It would transform urban America and recast the social and political order of every city it touched. It would force the South to search its soul and finally to lay aside a feudal caste system.

Reshaping America. The Great Migration's long-term impacts include:

Political changes:

• Increased African American political power in northern cities
• Pressure on the federal government to address civil rights issues
• Transformation of both major political parties' racial politics

Social and economic shifts:

• Development of a significant black middle class
• Changes in housing patterns and urban development
• Ongoing struggles with racial inequality and segregation

Cultural legacy:

• Influence on American music, literature, and art
• Emergence of influential African American leaders and thinkers
• Reshaping of American identity and discussions of race

The Great Migration set the stage for the civil rights movement and continues to influence conversations about race, inequality, and opportunity in America today.

Last updated: January 22, 2025