Last Updated on October 22, 2023 by themigrationnews
Isabel Wilkerson (2011). The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration. Vintage Books, Paperback Edition, 640 pages, Rs. 913.00.
“The Warmth of Other Suns,” written by Isabel Wilkerson, is an outstanding and remarkable piece of literature. This novel is based on the Great Migration in which millions of African Americans left the Southern United States to seek a better life in the North and Western regions during the 20th century. It is estimated that millions of African Americans participated in this migration, seeking better economic opportunities, escape from racial discrimination and violence, and a chance at a better life for themselves and their families. According to studies, the impact of the Great Migration is far-reaching. It transformed the lives of both black and white communities. It had a deep impact on the political, cultural, and social landscape of the United States. There was a transfer of cultural traditions and aspirations to new cities, contributing to the growth and development of vibrant communities. It is considered to be an important period in American history. This period represents the courage of African Americans and their determination to seek a better future.
Wilkerson’s narrative is fascinating, gripping, and engrossing in nature. She has the ability to capture the complexity of this mass movement in her book. She analyzed every push and pull factor that influenced the decision of people to leave the southern region and move to the northern and western regions. She also explores the challenges that the people faced in their new homes.
“The Warmth of Other Suns” is a massive and masterly account of this Great Migration. Wilkerson won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994 at the New York Times for her Writing. She has a personal interest in the story. Her father left Southern Virginia; on the other hand, her mother left rural Georgia to settle in Washington, DC.
“The Warmth of Other Suns” is Wilkerson’s first book. This book is based on thousands of interviews written in broad, imaginative strokes. It is a book of 622 pages, which is of great importance and peculiarity in today’s diminishing world of non-fiction publications. It is a narrative that is capable enough to impress all. The title of this book is borrowed from the celebrated black writer Richard Wright. Around 1920, Richard Wright left Jim Crow, Mississippi in search of the “warmth of those other suns.”
Wilkerson describes the lives of three individuals—Robert Joseph, Ida Mae Gladney, and George Swanson Starling—who demonstrate the extensive exposure of those who made this significant adventure. She knits a private portrayal of these three individuals with some historical background on their lives. She visibly depicts the triumphs and struggles of these individuals in the book. It brings the reader into the lives of the migrants. The book is scrupulously researched, providing a comprehensive picture of the Great Migration. Through the stories of Robert Joseph, Ida Mae Gladney, and George Swanson Starling, she challenges issues of economic hardship, racism, and discrimination. She gives a voice to the often-overlooked experience of African Americans in American history during this migration period.
The first character introduced by Wilkerson is Ida Mae Brandon Gladney. She was the sharecropper’s wife from Mississippi who was married at the age of 16. She is the mother of three. She is a devoted wife and lived to serve her husband. George, her husband, represents the feudal system of southern agriculture by depicting the life of a working-class man in the 20th century. Each December, George would meet Mr. Edd during the “settling time” to learn how he had done. Mr. Edd was very greedy and selfish by nature. Whenever George visited Mr. Edd, he would open his ledger book to prove that the annual debt for supplies bought by George on credit was almost equal to the value of his crop. George was not good at arithmetic and feared the white man’s figure. So, without contradicting Mr. Edd, he would always thank him and return to his place with a few dollars, as the whole years’ worth. In the year 1937, George’s cousin down the road was beaten to death by the white figures because he was wrongfully suspected of stealing a few dollars from Mr. Edd. Fearing that he would be the next target, he told Ida to pack up the family. A few days later, they boarded the Jim Crow car of an Illinois Central train heading north.
George Swanson Starling was the scholar of his “colored” high school in Florida. He dropped out of college when his money ran out and started working in the fields. Horrified by the condition, he tried to stop his work. But a friend warned him that the local growers were planning to put him to death, with the help of homicide and sheriffs. In 1945, Sterling boarded the Silver Meteor bound for New York.
Robert Joseph Pershing Foster was from Monroe, La., and had the most privileged background out of the three characters. He was the son of the demanding middle-class parents. He was educated at the most prestigious black college in America. He was trained as a surgeon. Foster joined the Western Stream in 1951 for greater economic opportunities.
Wilkerson’s storytelling creates an impressive and tearful portrait of the Great Migration. It highlights the suppleness and long-lasting spirit of those who seek a better life for themselves and their families. This book is a must-read for all those who are interested in understanding the impact of the Great Migration on American culture, economy, and society.
Wilkerson’s writing is both compassionate and powerful. She brings a sense of intimacy to her subject. This makes it easy for the reader to connect with the story and understand the courage it took for them to uproot their lives from racism and discrimination. Her narrative style is appealing and engaging, making “The Warmth of Other Suns” a mesmerizing read. Overall, “The Warmth of the Other Suns” is a skilled work of narrative non-fiction that unfolds an often-overlooked chapter of American history.
BIO-NOTE
PRACHI SHARMA
Prachi Sharma is a legal Scholar at Bharati Vidyapeeth University pursuing BBA LLB. She is a team player who can also work independently. She possesses knowledge to manage and motivate teams. She is an autodidact and self-assured in nature. Being extremely approachable and level- headed, she is the perfect person to share your secrets with. She is an ambivert and therefore knows when to speak up and when to listen. She is an energetic person and is always surrounded by an aura of positivity.