North to Boston: Life Histories from the Black Great Migration in New England

The book "North to Boston" explores the history of the Great Migration, which saw tens of thousands of Black people move to Boston from the South between World War II and 1980, transforming the city and providing a rare glimpse into the lives of ordinary people living in one city's Black community.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 17 August 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Between World War II and 1980, a significant wave of Black people migrated from the South to Boston, a pivotal moment in American history known as the Great Migration. This migration had a profound impact on the city and other urban areas across the country. Blake Gumprecht's book, "North to Boston," is the first to delve into this topic, tracing the history of the migration and exploring its far-reaching consequences through the lives of ten individuals. These chapters are concise biographies based on extensive interviews conducted by the author, who brings a journalist's perspective to the storytelling. The ten individuals featured in the book hailed from six southern states and were driven by a desire for better jobs, equal treatment, and greater freedom. They settled in neighborhoods like Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan, where they worked as teachers, factory workers, welders, and security guards. Their stories serve as a poignant reflection of the experiences of Black people who left the South, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of ordinary individuals within one city's Black community. "North to Boston" brings to life the history of the Great Migration, shedding light on a hidden chapter of New England's history and highlighting the significance of this event in shaping Black Boston.

Weight: 488g
Dimension: 164 x 242 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197614440