Migration Panels

Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series comprises 60 individual panels illustrating key aspects of the Great African-American Migration, which was in full swing as he created the series in 1941. Half of Lawrence’s presentation of this critical story is available at MoMA in New York City and half is available at the Phillips Collection in Washington DC.

Each panel is beautiful and important in its own right, but we are very pleased that we are able to present, and make available, the entire collection here in one place.

The Migration Series, Panel no. 49: They found discrimination in the North. It was a different kind.

Jacob Lawrence

Migration panel 50. Race riots were very numerous all over the North because of the antagonism that was caused between the Negro and white workers. Many of these riots occurred because the Negro was used as a strike breaker in many of the Northern industries.

Jacob Lawrence

The Migration Series, Panel no. 51: African Americans seeking to find better housing attempted to move into new areas. This resulted in the bombing of their new homes.

Jacob Lawrence

Migration panel 52. One of the largest race riots occurred in East St. Louis.

Jacob Lawrence

The Migration Series, Panel no. 53: African American, long-time residents of northern cities met the migrants with aloofness and disdain.

Jacob Lawrence

Migration panel 54. One of the main forms of social and recreational activities in which the migrants indulged occurred in the church.

Jacob Lawrence

The Migration Series, Panel no. 55: The migrants, having moved suddenly into a crowded and unhealthy environment, soon contracted tuberculosis. The death rate rose.

Jacob Lawrence

Migration panel 56. Among one of the last groups to leave the South was the Negro professional who was forced to follow his clientele to make a living.

Jacob Lawrence

The Migration Series, Panel no. 57: The female workers were the last to arrive north.

Jacob Lawrence

Migration panel 58. In the North the Negro had better educational facilities..

Jacob Lawrence

The Migration Series, Panel no. 59: In the North they had the freedom to vote.

Jacob Lawrence

Migration panel 60. And the migrants kept coming.

Jacob Lawrence