About This Lesson
Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series provides a compelling foundation for an inquiry study that delves into the hopes, challenges, and resilience of migrants.
Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series vividly chronicles the hopes and challenges that defined the Great Migration. In this inquiry study, students will analyze Lawrence’s artwork alongside firsthand accounts from both mainstream and Black press to investigate the complex push-pull forces behind this historic movement. The readings are organized around key causes and conflicts, inviting students to choose themes that resonate with them and share their discoveries through class presentations. By examining these historical artifacts, students can explore differing points of view, noting how white and Black media reported on the same events. This inquiry also encourages students to draw connections to contemporary migration, exploring how today’s migrants face similar aspirations and obstacles. The study offers rich opportunities for students to think critically about historical and modern narratives of migration.
