In the spirit of Black History Month I would like to take a minute to urge anyone with an interest in American history, African American history, or have an interest in the post civil war, post reconstruction south, should go today and purchase "The Warmth of Other Suns' By Isabel Wilkerson.
The Warmth of Other Suns, is an eye opening tale of the Great migration which began in 1921 and carried on until the 1970's during which time more then six million African Americans, tired of the caste system in the Jim Crow south came northward for jobs and opportunities to live a more enriching life.
The utter humiliation and degradation that the whites visited upon the newly freed slaves is described in its horrible detail within these pages. Some of it is very hard to read. It focuses on the personal stories of three individuals who left the oppressive south for the promise of a better life and come what may they made the best of it.
If you read this I wish you would first acquaint yourself with the reconstruction of the south after the civil war. When the north came down and more or less occupied the southern cities enforcing federal laws designed to equalize the African American to a degree. Reconstruction and the promise of reparations that never came are a huge impetus to the actions of these African Americans.
Reconstruction gave rights to the African American similar to those who had once called them chattel and men rose up politically and represented the African American community being a voice for them in matters of import. They were promised these things. And others.
Reconstruction ended when the north could no longer afford to occupy the southern states. Once they their backs the southern land holders who had of course been put into direct competition with the African American farmers immediately rescinded all the new rights and violently subdued the African American community . I think you must be be acquainted with the reconstruction before you can understand the full effect of what the Southern Planters and Politicians did to those that the country had guaranteed equal citizenship to.
I fully recommend this book to anyone with interest. The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabel Wilkerson is an honestly written account of life thru the eyes of those depicted.