“The Migration of the Negro, Panel 1” is an artwork by Jacob Lawrence, created in 1941. This piece is part of the Expressionism and Social Realism movements and is classified as a history painting. The artwork vividly depicts a segment of the Great Migration, a period in which African Americans moved from the rural Southern United States to the urban North.
The composition of the artwork showcases a bustling scene filled with an array of figures, each adorned in diverse colors and attire, symbolizing the movement and diverse communities involved. The scene is heavily populated, split into sections labeled “Chicago,” “New York,” and “St. Louis,” which indicates the destinations of the migratory individuals. The background features a lattice-like structure, adding texture and depth, while the figures dominate the foreground in their collective motion. Lawrence’s use of bold, flat colors and simplified forms communicates a powerful sense of unity, purpose, and the significant historical impact of this migration.
