The Great Migration was a period of African American migration from the Jim Crow South to the North from 1915 to the 1970s. People left their rural southern lives behind in the hope that there would be more opportunity and equality in northern cities like New York City, Chicago and Detroit. Artist Jacob Lawrence was raised in New York City but he was the child of two Southern migrants. Lawrence saw the Great Migration first hand and vividly painted the stages of migration, from boarding trains to finding racism in the North. Listen to learn more about this period in history and how it is represented in art and music from the era.
Story Length: 5:47
Socrative users can import these questions using the following code: SOC-1234
May 8, 2015
8:32
How realistic is the “American Dream”? Is upward mobility a reality for everyone today? Are people still better off than their parents? These are the questions driving a study of economic mobility by economists at Harvard and UC Berkeley, as well as the radio reporter in this story. With a focus on Dayton, Ohio, its past and present, this story analyzes the modern factors that stunt economic mobility in West Dayton and other neighborhoods like it. It looks at whether the “American Dream” is truly attainable for everyone.
Read MoreNovember 26, 2014
5:00
The number of child migrants coming to the United States from Central America has slowed, but efforts to stop the underlying violence in these countries is growing. The United States Agency for International Development (USAid) is partnering with local government and police forces in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to bring violence prevention efforts that have worked in the United States to these communities. Listen to learn more about this programming and its impact.
Read MoreAugust 21, 2014
3:55
Demonstrations and unrest in Ferguson Missouri continue in response to the shooting death of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teenager killed by local police on August 9th. This public radio story brings us sounds of these demonstrations and voices of Ferguson residents. Listen to learn more about the underlying racial tensions that exist between Ferguson residents and police.
Read More