A National Movement, A Local Legacy
Each September, the Capital Region of New York celebrates Mississippi Day, commemorating the roots of a community born from the migration of African Americans from the small town of Shubuta, Mississippi to Albany, NY and surrounding areas.
A companion piece to Henry Louis Gates Jr's PBS original documentary series Great Migrations: A People on the Move, WMHT's North to New York: The Great Migration in NY's Capital Region is an original documentary about the history and legacy of those that left all they knew behind to make the Capital Region home.
Support Provided By
Corporate support for GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE is provided by Bank of America, Ford Motor Company and Johnson & Johnson. Major support is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Support is also provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Additional support was provided by the Inkwell Society together with many of its members, and by public television viewers. For a complete list of funders, please contact McGee Media. This is a project associated with GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE, a production of McGee Media and Inkwell Media, in association with WETA Washington, D.C.
Great Migrations: A People on the Move explores the transformative impact of Black migration on American culture and society. From the waves of Black Americans to the North—and back South—over the last century to the growing number of immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean today, the film shows how movement is a defining feature of the Black experience.
Free Classroom Resources
The Black Church and the Great Migration | North to New York
Learn about the community of Black Americans who moved from Shubuta, Mississippi, to Albany, New York, during the Great Migration. Led by two ministers, they created thriving communities in the South End and the area around Rapp Road. This media gallery includes four short videos, teaching tips, discussion questions, and a vocabulary.