Millions of African Americans sought a new life. The Monument to Great Northern Migration stands as a testament to their journey. This monument honors those who migrated to Chicago. They sought greater freedom and opportunity in the early 20th century.
Here, at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and 26th Place, we find ourselves before Alison Saar’s powerful bronze figure. The Monument to the Great Northern Migration depicts a traveler. He raises a hand in greeting to his new home. The other hand carries a worn suitcase. It symbolizes his journey his dreams and his talents.
The bollards around the Monument to the Great Northern Migration also look like suitcases. Their texture comes from patterns of tin ceilings of that era. The figure faces north. This symbolizes the traveler’s destination.
The Great Migration saw African Americans moving from the South to Northern cities like Chicago. This happened from the 1910s to the 1970s. They were fleeing the Jim Crow South. They hoped for a “promised land”. This promise was often unrealized.
Up until 1910, 90% of African Americans lived in the South. Racism and prejudice were widespread. After being freed from slavery, they sought a new life elsewhere. Chicago became a popular destination. Robert S. Abbott of the Chicago Defender urged them to come. This Black newspaper campaigned against Jim Crow laws. Chicago seemed like a promised land with job opportunities. These jobs paid cash unlike the exploitative contracts in the South.
Upon arriving in Chicago, Black people settled mostly on the West and South Sides. Housing shortages and racial tensions led to violence in 1919. Despite this, Black communities continued to grow.
Life in Chicago was tense but better than the South. Segregation was common. The city was racially divided. Black residents were often unwelcome in certain areas.
Alison Saar grew up in Laurel Canyon California. She studied with Samella Lewis. Lewis was a scholar of African African American and Caribbean art. Saar’s works often use archetypal images. These intertwine folklore and legend. They also show the struggles and spiritual concerns of everyday people. Her mother Betye Saar created “The Liberation of Aunt Jemima”. It showed a mammy figure with a broom and a rifle.
The Monument to the Great Northern Migration stands at the entrance to Bronzeville. In the 1920s, it was known as the “Black Belt.” James J. Gentry of the Chicago Bee suggested “Bronzeville.” He felt it better described the skin tone of the residents.
Black Horizon Brewing created “The Stroll Beer” inspired by this monument. It symbolizes Bronzeville’s importance its vibrant life and culture along The Stroll. The beer is a Bronze Ale with maple and vanilla. The maple represents the northward direction of the migration. The vanilla represents what the journey was not smooth and sweet.
So as you stand before the Monument to the Great Northern Migration, remember the dreams. Remember the struggles. Remember the journey. It shaped not only Bronzeville but also the soul of Chicago.