Essay

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Section I - Wright's Migration Experience
Section II - Wright's Migration Vs. Historical Patterns
Section III - Wright's Migration Vs. Other Literature
Section IV - Conclusion

Section I - Wright's Migration Experience

   Wright’s autobiography Black Boy presents a detailed look into the early twentieth century life of southern African Americans. From the heart of Mississippi to urban life of Chicago Wright recreates his journey to the north. One of the major themes that Wright relies on throughout the book is that of migration. Since the addition of the second part, the reader is now able to view Wright’s entire inspiration for using this general theme. Through Wright’s personal experiences this story reveals one central theory of migration: escape. Migration can be seen as either an escape from the everyday struggle the southern blacks had to endure or as an escape from the stereotypical notions of African American life.

From the beginning of Black Boy, Wright creates a world that is quite possibly unimaginable for many modern readers. He begins the story by describing his life within the Jim Crowe south. This life includes the everyday appearance of violence, discrimination, and dire poverty. An example of the extreme poverty he endured is mentioned several times throughout the text, but most often in his reference to hunger. On pages 14-15 Wright reveals just how horrible the conditions were in his one parent household when he proclaims “I would feel hunger nudging my ribs, twisting my empty guts until they ached. I would grow dizzy and my vision would dim.”    Another important example that reveals the violent nature of the south is presented on page 73 where Wright reveals “I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.” Here he tells a story about a powerless African American in front of an angry white mob. This lynching story represents one of the worst fears of blacks in the south, it demonstrate the horrific beliefs of some people that just because they were born with dark skin they did not deserve to live.

These terrible conditions set the stage for Wright’s later desire to “escape” to the north. At the end of the first section of the autobiography Wright picks up his belongings and heads North in search of a better life. Throughout the entire section ‘Southern Night’ Wright develops the belief that the only way to escape the abusive lifestyle and hardships of the south is to migrate to the north. The culmination of Wright’s aspirations about migration is displayed in the last few lines on page 257 where he proclaims, “This was the culture from which I sprang. This was the culture from which I fled.” Here he reveals his belief that by moving out of the south he will find a land of better opportunity and equality in the North.
When looking at the theme of migration in terms of escaping stereotypes, Wright introduces the reader to two separate stereotypes that he will inevitably shatter with the development of his story. The first stereotype is presented on page 183 within his conversation with his old schoolmate Griggs. Here Griggs informs Wright that he needs to “ . . . learn how to live in the South!” This passage indicates the general ideas that most Southerners had concerning the way blacks should act. Griggs states that Wright is acting like a white man, and he needs to think before he acts when around white folk. Although this view represents the reality of the life for southern African Americans, by migrating to the North Wright does not change his actions but rather rejects this stereotypical idea altogether. In moving to the North, Wright is attempting to show the men of the south that their notions of how he should act were not going to restrict his life anymore.

   The second stereotype that the theme of migration aids in tearing down is that of the endless opportunities that the north had to offer the black man. Most important to this ‘revelation’ that Wright bears within ‘The Horror and the Glory’ is the fact that he himself had fallen victim to the deceptive second hand rumors about the north. On page 205 Wright states that “Freedom was almost within my grasp.” Here he is talking about almost having enough money to make his journey, and he is associating “freedom” with the North. Later on in the story when he is living in the north, he reveals the faults of his narrow-minded assumptions about the outcome of migration. There is one point in which Wright discovers the important understanding that no matter where he migrates to there will be no “safe haven” for blacks. This is shown within the passage where he is attending a communist party conference within New York City. After searching for hours on end for a room for the night, Wright states, “Could a Negro ever live halfway like a human being in this goddamn country?” (Wright 349). This scene reveals how Wright comes to terms with the fact that even in a generally black community, Harlem, blacks are still regarded as inferior. This ‘revelation’ destroys the notion that the north would provide a safe environment from the harsh existence in the south.

Section II - Wright's Migration Vs. Historical Patterns

   Within the first section of his autobiography, ‘Southern Night’, Wright exposes the reader to the life of southern blacks. Although his story attempts to create a general awareness for the reader, it must be remembered that this is only one man’s experience. By looking at other relevant literature and historical texts, one can observe similar patterns within life in general and their motivations for migration. This also allows a greater understanding of The Great Migration, the largest internal movement of people within the history of the U.S., from the entire population of southern blacks.

   Wright displays the life of southern blacks in a cold harsh manner, from the threat of lynching to everyday forms of discrimination. One example of discrimination that is repeatedly displayed within the text is that of job discrimination for blacks. Wright, although educated, is unable to acquire and maintain one job for any substantial amount of time. Beginning on page 186, Wright details his experiences while working at a lens factory. Although the Yankee who gave him the job offered a chance to learn the trade, the white men working alongside him had a different opinion. Following an altercation with these men Wright states “I knew what they wanted. They wanted me to leave the job.” (Wright 190). This one example shows the difficulties the black man endured in trying to fulfill the everyday needs of life in the world of white superiority.

   Wrights emphases on the difficulties associated with job discrimination in the south are mirrored in several resources on The Great Migration. One author states “ . . . as whites became convinced that black workers with lower wage demands were hurting them economically, animosity grew rapidly.” (Brinkley 653). This quote reveals the reasons behind Wright’s inability to obtain work in the south. Following the end of WWI, many blacks that had replaced the white men who were at war were forced back out onto the streets. Whites could not believe the fact that they might not get their jobs back because black men were doing them better, and for a much lower wage. This fact fires the white man’s hatred of blacks even more, which explains the increased terror and discrimination in the south after 1919. On page 17 Lemann goes on to describe how, although the tactics that were used to discourage migration, like headlines reading

SOUTH IS BETTER FOR NEGRO, SAY MISSISSIPPIANS
COLORED PEOPLE FOUND PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY,

that the end of the war and later the depression increased the rate of unemployment across the north bringing to a standstill the seemingly abundant amount of jobs available.

   One important area to compare between Wright’s experiences and historical fact is that of the motivation behind migration. In many ways through the details of his life I the south Wright reveals his aspirations for escaping the south without uttering specific reasons. There are some definite examples that accentuate his growing urge to move to the south. An example of this is presented on page 253 when Wright exclaims, “My days and nights . . . contained dream of terror, tension, and anxiety”. Wright continuously shows the reader how these feelings become a part of his everyday life in an effort to create his desire for leaving. Some other reasons that Wright offers for moving to the north is the search for a place of freedom, better job opportunities, and also the chance to know what if feels to live life as a man, not as the worthless inferior that southern whites depicted black men to be.

   In studying the migration of blacks from the south to the north in the early twentieth century, it would be difficult to understand the motivations of all people who made up the movement. It was estimated that between the years 1910 and 1920 that somewhere between 300,000 to 1,000,000 black migrants fled from the south (Henri 51). Henri goes on to discuss a variety of reasons some of these migrants had given for their departure, generally including: low wages, injustice, bad treatment, need for better education and above all freedom.

   In placing Wright’s experiences within the historical context of The Great Migration it seems as though much of his story is echoed throughout relevant literature. Wright's depiction of the social and economic conditions within the south displays the same characteristics as those described in much of the research written on the history of black migration in the early 1900’s. Wright’s autobiography also displays similar attitudes as to why he felt the need to migrate north as those expressed by the general population of southern blacks. This comparison of chronological events with those displayed within relevant literature (Black Boy) shows that gaining knowledge about the past does not have to be limited to tedious searches within reference texts.

Section III - Wright's Migration Vs. Other Literature

When reviewing Wright’s experiences through the aspect of The Great Migration it is also important to understand how his story relates to those provided by other writers. Many additional literary works focus on the central theme of migration as Wright did in order to expose the general public to the plight of the southern black American and how he dealt with the issues involved with migration. Two works in particular, “Thomas and Beulah” by Rita Dove and “October Journey” by Margaret Walker deal with this theme of migration and illustrate similar ideas to those in Black Boy.

   “Thomas and Beulah” is a compilation of poems that records the journey of two blacks, her grandparents, from the south to the north during The Great Migration. Many of the poems focus on such northern aspects of life as industrialization and work in factories. Through individual poems like “Straw Hat” (144) and “Jiving” (145), Dove illustrates the importance of this migration and the effects that it had upon the individual. This compilation reads like a story, from the beginning in the south unto the arrival in the North. One clear example between themes present in Dove’s poetry and Wright’s autobiography is that of one of the horrific social conditions in the south, displayed within the poem “The Event” (141-142). Here Dove displays the threat of lynching, and how these men were able to escape.

   Another similar theme that is present within these two works is that of the disappointing arrival in the North. Although Dove describes a journey to Akron, Ohio and Wright to Chicago, Illinois, each character seems to uncover the same truths about life for blacks in the north. Wright reveals that although the conditions are different from the obvious discrimination in the south, that they are nonetheless present. Dove reveals similar disappointment with the conditions in the north through her application of constant misery and grief felt by her characters. This discontent is clearly displayed within the first stanza of the poem “The Zeppelin Factory” that states, “The zeppelin factory/ needed workers, all right—/ but, standing in the cage/of the whale’s belly, sparks/flying off the joints/and noise thundering, / Thomas wanted to sit/ right down and cry.” (Dove 154). This shows his unhappiness with working in the factories of the north. Overall, these poems reflect Wright’s dismal sentiments about northern life.

   Margaret Walker’s poem “October Journey” concerns the general theme of migration, but presents an alternative perspective that contradicts the ideas presented by both Wright and Dove. Walker does not describe a journey from the south to the north, but rather just the opposite. One line in particular reveals the reason for the migration back, “The train wheels hum, ‘I am going home, I am going home, / I am moving toward the South.’” (Walker). While both Wright and Dove are trying to move on and begin anew, Walker presents the desire to relive a lost childhood. Her poem reveals migration as it occurs over a period of time, represented through the changing of the seasons. By showing the changes in the earth from fall to spring, this creates a sense of change in the attitudes of society in such lines as “In the early spring when the peach tree blooms/ . . . and the world seems bathed in tenderness, / but in October/ blossoms have long since fallen.” (Walker). Of all the important changes described in this poem the most important is the transformation from the perspective of the south in the beginning to the one at the end. In the beginning it is presented as a time of youthful adventure only present within the mind but by the end it develops into one of a forgotten miserable and oppressive culture.

Section IV - Conclusion

Overall, the theme of migration has played an important part throughout the history of African Americans, from initial migration to America to the internal migrations till occurring today. Looking back upon these literary works and historical references one is able to glimpse what blacks have accomplished with the great Migration. These works accurately present a portrayal of black history and offer readers the knowledge of firsthand experience. More importantly, tying these works together has shown the evolution of the African American struggles over time. This is an important perspective to analyze for several reasons. One, reason is because it presents the reader with supplementary knowledge about an ea of American history that is often neglected. It is also significant because it allows readers to learn from past mistakes in effort to create a future that will not revive the terror and depressed conditions.