It’s 2016‼️ A great beginning of a new year that marks 100 years since the ancestors traveled to the promise land. Coming from the South to build hope, economics, and spiritual strength to invade our future to be as bright as we can be.

All around the world we, My indigenous people, regardless of our differences have much greater things in common but yet we let our differences divide us. Why? As a millennium child my connection to my heritage is just as vague as my history but I grew up seeing the similarities. Watching my Ma Dear (Great Grandmother) bring families together and be the rock to our family has always been a influence to remember in my life. I told myself at a young age that I wanted to be just like her 👑.

       The Great Migration Destination

Chicago being one of the great destinations for migration was a blessing in disguise for freedom. In  search for empowerment and freedom Chicago became the promise land journal-ed by the Chicago Defender to start a new life after being free from slavery. The Black migrants from the south penned to those that appeared to be helpful on this journey. Mrs. J. H. Adams of Macon, Georgia wrote a letter to Bethlehem Baptist Association in 1918 on holograph Carter G. Woodson’s paper. Click here to check out the letter.

Take a look at Chicago today 😊 and see that the ancestors have built a trail of wealth throughout the city especially on the South Lake Region also known as the “Black Belt” from the urban north to the inner cities from State to Lake.  Between 1910 and 1930 African Americans came to Chicago started businesses and became entrepreneurs. They came to Chicago changing the landscape and culture birthing Blues, Jazz, R&B, and architecture.

The Great Migration proved that our survival in the slums or even in our worst situation is that the outcome was always wealth. Through our unity, self-government, and will power we have been blessed to do wonderful things in our time of oppression. It happened once we realized that we had to use what we had and start where we were to build. And we did just that.

So dig into history and understand the heritage not only in Chicago but the trail the 7 million African Americans blazed firing the shape of culture & landscape from 1916 to 1970 in the northern cities.

Want to be apart of the Campaign? 

Become a contributor if your an Artist, Entertainer, Hospitality Service Provider, or Culture Vulture. We’re celebrating the past but we are integrating the present and future! For more information on how you can be a contributor go to BKORNOWAY and send us a message online.