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The Great Migration of African Americans

Migration Journeys with St. Mary's College of Maryland

A pivotal moment in U.S. history, when millions of African Americans left the rural South for urban centers in the North and West. Register to receive a reminder via email or text. Walk-ins welcome!

Visit the World on the Move page on our website to learn more about the World on the Move exhibit and additional library programming.

The Great Migration had a profound impact on the 20th century. Explore the social, economic, and cultural transformations that shaped individuals, communities, and the nation during this transformative era.

Speaker - Mr. Leslie Walker, Adjunct Professor Anthropology at St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Mr. Leslie Walker worked at the American Anthropological Association as the project manager the "World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration" exhibition. Currently he serves as the Supervisor of Public Program Production at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. He develops and produces programs that illuminate the richness and complexity of the African American experience. Mr. Leslie Walker is an anthropologist and educator with a focus on race, Latin American and Afro-Diasporic communities, environmental justice, and heritage. With a background in critical pedagogy, he has conducted extensive fieldwork in various regions and holds degrees from St. Mary's College of Maryland, the University of South Florida, and a Project Management certificate from UC Irvine.

Migration Journeys with St. Mary’s College of Maryland is a thought-provoking series that will offer valuable insights into the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of people who have traversed our state and nation, continents and oceans. Discover St. Mary's County's rich history through diverse stories of movement, culture, and resilience from Africa, the Caribbean, and Chesapeake through the insights of expert speakers from the St. Mary's College of Maryland's Department of Anthropology on history, music, and more.

World on the Move: 250,00 years of Human Migration was developed by the American Anthropological Association, together with the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and Smithsonian Exhibits. It is administered by the American Library Association’s Public Programs Office.

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