Have students work in small groups and look at  Jacob Lawrence Migration Series Panel 1-WWI Northern Migration. Have students zoom in on the image, examining the work’s fine details while discussing the following questions:

• What does this image represent? Thinking about the Great Migration, why would an artist focus on this type of scene?
• How does Lawrence represent people in this image? Why may people be shown in these ways?
• What feeling does this image convey about the process of migrating?

Have students work in pairs to write a paragraph, playing the role of art historian. Have students describe the image, explain how they believe it may offer insight into African American historical experiences, and then practice writing summaries by including their own understanding of the relevance of the Great Migration and the urban life that awaited the passengers.