The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson is the definitive account of the Great Migration – the twentieth-century mass movement of six million African Americans from the Jim Crow South to the urban North, Midwest, and West. Written over the course of nearly two decades, the book details the causes, consequences, and legacy of this movement, through the experiences of three remarkable individuals and the millions of anonymous migrants who shared their quest to find a better life.
The Great Migration was driven by "the warmth of other suns,” the promise of a better life that motivated millions to forge a new identity, a new homeland and a new identity. "We set our faces toward the sun scrambling over mountains, crossing rivers, tramping the old highways and railroads," wrote one of the migrants quoted in the book. Wilkerson uses her powerful story-telling to bring to life the struggles and sacrifices of the Great Migration and its lasting impact on the African American experience.
The Warmth of Other Suns begins in the early 1900s, with the first wave of African American migrants leaving the oppressive conditions of the Jim Crow South in search of a new life, and it follows their journey to cities in the North, Midwest, and West. Along the way, Wilkerson introduces us to two of the protagonists of the story – George Starling and Ida Mae Gladney – both of whom undertook this epic journey in hopes of finding a better life for themselves and their families.
Through Starling’s and Gladney’s stories, The Warmth of Other Suns paints a vivid and often heartbreaking portrait of the struggles and triumphs of those affected by the Great Migration. Starling and Gladney’s individual journeys provide a powerful illustration of the courage, ambition, and resilience of migrants, as well as the deeply entrenched racism and discrimination which greeted them in their new homes.
In addition to the personal stories of Starling and Gladney, Wilkerson also gives voice to the untold stories of the millions of anonymous migrants who undertook the arduous journey, many of whom were never given the chance to fully realize the promise of the promised better life. These stories are often deeply moving, such as the tragic story of a young couple who boarded a train in Louisiana and died during the journey, leaving behind an infant daughter.
The Warmth of Other Suns is also a timely reminder of how America’s history of racial inequality continues to shape our society today. Wilkerson’s remarkable account of the Great Migration paints a vivid picture of the struggles and sacrifices of those who came seeking a better life, and of the deep scars left by racial injustice. Today, as a new wave of migration continues to reshape the American landscape, it is a reminder of the collective power of individuals – and of the true power of transformation through collective action.
Ultimately, The Warmth of Other Suns is an examination of both extraordinary resilience and profound loss. It is a story of ambition and courage, oppression and injustice, and above all, of finding hope in the face of adversity. Through vivid detail, powerful storytelling, and heartfelt compassion, Wilkerson compellingly captures the story of the Great Migration, its stories and its legacy, in this moving and important book.
