The Great Migration: Journey to the North

By: Eloise Greenfield

Illustrated by: Jan Spivey Gilchrist

Grade level- 3 grade

                African-American families from 1915 until 1930 were leaving their homes in the southern United States to move into northern and western cities to make a better life for their families.  Many families did not realize they were a big part of the Great Migration to the North. This book presents a couple of families’ journeys to the big cities in the North.

                The book, The Great Migration:  Journey to the North by Eloise Greenfield, was about how Greenfield grew up in the middle of the move and many people did not know what to expect. They just heard about it from family that already did the move and were waiting for them to come.  The book is set up to represent everyone’s point of view. The story has the northern newspaper’s point of view by talking about how there is no Ku Klux Klan disturbing the peace. Another point of view is of a boy and girl who talk about how they have to leave their friends, but the family will finally be together again and happy. A woman is excited about leaving because where she lived there was little pay and there were signs everywhere telling them were they could and could not go.  The book exemplifies how the trip going to the north was by train and how much luggage people carried. The book describes how crowded the trains were with crying babies and how there was little room on the train.  When they finally got to the big city, they were greeted by family and friends and were looking forward to the new life they were starting.  The book ends with questions showing the travelers’ thoughts, such as “Will I make a good life for my family, for myself?”

               I felt this book is a great way to show the Great Migration to the north from 1915 until 1930. It was a quick read that gives the reader enough information that the person who is reading it can understand how the families and people felt about leaving their homes.  I liked how some of the writing in the text was in poetry.  I enjoyed the illustrations in the book.  The illustrations told their own story; even if young children could not read the book, they could understand what was going on.  The illustrations look like photos that were taken at that time.

This book The Great Migration: Journey to the north would be a good story to show the students that moving to north was a processes and that people were looking forward to moving.  The MA ELL Frameworks for reading, key ideas and details, statements that when children read text about history they can built of a fountain of knowledge. I would read the book to the class and have a discussion about the main ideas and ask questions. After that I would have them make-up their own story about moving North to the city. In the MA ELL Frameworks this would be under research to build and present knowledge. I find activities that gets the kids involved in “someone else shoe” will help them have a more understanding for the matter.