Interpretations of
The Great Migration
Elliott Donnelley Youth Center
presented by
LiveArts Studio
July 8, 2008 – August 5, 2008
Interpretations of works inspired by
Jacob Lawrence:
The Great Migration Series
Presented are interpretations of works by
children of the Elliott Donnelley Youth Center
completed in the summer of 2008. The
interpretations are those of artist Jacob
Lawrence. His work chronicles the exodus of
African Americans who migrated from the
South to the North during World War I in
search of better lives. The selections offer
insight into the journey, its difficulty and the
many challenges.
The children who participated in this project
listened to the story of the Great Migration, and
learned the unique process that led to the
production of the mosaics which express
Lawrence’s hand painted works. Similar to the
beauty seen in the struggle of folk in his work, the
ceramic material was also a struggle for some of
the children but ended as a beautiful testimony of
their efforts. In their struggle, they conveyed [1]“the
rhythm of the pictures” through broken and
unevenly-fitted pieces. However, it works. It flows.
The migrating Blacks seemed to have a flow in
their uprootedness – which is also beautiful. The
experience forced many to break away from one
existence while challenging them to conform to
another. They struggled and continue to survive.
Many of us are here because of those who made
that Great Migration to Chicago.
[1] Jacob Lawrence, The Great Migration: An American Story, 1995, New York
Mounted Works by Students
Interpreted by: Kiera
Simpson
Migrant Blacks came to the
North by foot and by rail.
Interpreted by: Vernita
Bailey
Life in the South was hard.
Interpreted by: Precious
Nia Smith
In the South there was no
justice for African Americans in
the courts.
Interpreted by: Deyante
Haywood
The Great Migration occurred
during the war making life for
the poor even harder.
Interpreted by: Kendrick
Simpson
African Americans were
eager to arrive early to train
stations in the South. But
they were often arrested if
found on the streets for no
reason.
Interpreted by: Richard
Shepard
White factory agents came to
southern towns looking to hire
Black workers.
Interpreted by: Alicia
Peters
Factory owners found new
workers to replace those who
went to war.
Interpreted by: Dejuan
Binion
African Americans came from
the South to the North, to cities
like Chicago & New York in
search of a better life.
Interpreted by: Demetrius
Pointer
Even though life in the
North changed it was
challenging for the
migrants. Children went to
school.
Interpreted by: Asia
Haywood
Families were able to find better
housing and living conditions
than those in the South.
Interpreted by: Chloe Morrow
Even though slavery had
been abolished, whites
mistreated black tenant
farmers.
Interpreted by: Savannah
Pugh
Men and women worked very
tough jobs.
References
Jacob Lawrence - an interview with NPR
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aaworld/arts/lawrence.html
Whitney Museum of Art
http://www.whitney.org/jacoblawrence/
Art in the Allen Center
http://www.cs.washington.edu/building/art/JacobLawrence/
The Great Migration: An American Story by Jacob Lawrence,
HarperCollins (September 15, 1995)
The End