Monday, July 30, 2012

Great Migration

Morris Family

Image Courtesy of Getty Images

One of my favorite poems by Langston Hughes is "One Way Ticket." In eleven lines, Hughes informs readers about the Great Migration , a term used to describe the six million African-Americans who left the South in search of better employment and educational opportunities.

Hughes writing is firm yet filled with zeal and anticipation, showing the desire of African-Americans searching for a better life.

The image above is of a migrant family arriving in Chicago during the Great Migration. Like Hughes' poem, I believe the photo underscores the drive African-Americans had to escape racism and inequality.

Suggested Reading

Biography of Langston Hughes

"One Way Ticket"


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