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Summary Of The Myth Of Other Suns By Isabel Wilkerson

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In Part Three of The Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson uses the poem Exodus from The Cleveland Advocate and an excerpt from Richard Wright's 12 Million Black Voices to set the tone and context for the harrowing experiences of African Americans during the Great Migration. These words are appropriate because they depict the desperation and determination of African Americans seeking to escape the oppressive conditions of the South. For example, the excerpt from 12 Million Black Voices states, "They packed their belongings in orange crates, said their goodbyes, and went off to cities...," highlighting the resolve of those who embarked on this journey.

The manner in which Ida Mae Gladney and George Starling leave the South underscores the …show more content…

Wilkerson wants the reader to recognize that Newton's parents also fled the South, thereby connecting the origins of the Black Panthers and their fight for racial equality to the larger narrative of the Great Migration.

The description of each migrant's journey out of the South paints a vivid picture of the effects of Plessy v. Ferguson and Jim Crow on African Americans throughout the country. For instance, Robert P. Foster's experience driving west of Texas highlights the pervasive racism that persisted even outside the South. Despite being a skilled surgeon, Foster was denied service at hotels and restaurants due to his race, illustrating the far-reaching consequences of segregation and racial discrimination.

The Chicago Commission on Race Relations' report on the reasons for African Americans leaving the South differed from the reasons given by white southerners because it recognized the systemic racism and violence that fueled the Great Migration. White southerners often attributed the migration to economic factors, while the commission's report acknowledged the brutal realities of racial violence, discrimination, and segregation that pushed African Americans to seek better lives

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