And We Move North

Dear Diary,
It is the beginning of the rest of my life. My family and I have decided to travel north, to the land of prosperity. Theses roaring 1920s have given us a boost to the New Negro aspect of life. Although the fear of lynching and other murderous tactics that have taken place since I can remember, there is hope for a brighter tomorrow for me and my people. Now, I have to keep my moving north secret. If the white folks were to find out, they would treat me poorly and do whatever it took to keep me here, to continue to be mistreated and used for their labor, but more importantly for their pride. No matter how or where I live, I had to watch my back. A white person is always out to get me and I’m tired of his lifestyle. My family deserves better, I deserve better. Now is the time to make something of myself, of my heritage. I should be proud to be an African America. It is a time of rebirth, of Renaissance. I’ve seen how the government takes no action in any effort of my life, and just flat out doesn’t care. Realizing this, we’ve taken action into our own hands. I’ve recently joined the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Our unity is what will get us through, unity in purpose and promise. Day by day, we are writing our own history. We are focused on the poor African Americans. I am a bit skeptical about this organization because it is taking a different approach, although it is unified, it is saying that we are not equal. We are never going to be thought of as equal, so why try.
We want to make a name for ourselves. Our African Americanism entitles us to a country of freedom, liberty and democracy, not into a lifestyle of fear that we’ve so recently been forced into. Mr. Marcus Garvey, an ambitious man for the people of color as well as the leader of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, wants to take the people back to Africa and then capture Africa from the American colonies. I do not agree with this. America is the land of the free. We are African Americans, we’ve worked hard for our citizenship. Our ancestors are the ones who made this country prosper. I believe that it will eventually be realized that we need each other to survive peacefully, what we’ve been called to do as Americans.
The members of my community have taken action by writing to a prosperous friend of the Southern African Americans, The Chicago Defender, asking the Defender for money to give us, yes myself included, for the chance at a better opportunity not so much ourselves, but for our families. Our cost of living is increasing so much, all the while our wages are getting smaller and smaller. Although the North provides tons of jobs for our people, with which will come prosperity, the problem many of my problems, as well as the problems of others, goes back to transportation. We have no way to get there, especially with the shortage of money we are already facing. Nothing is more frustrating than knowing there is a better life, but not being able to reach it. Those jobs are available, heck, they’re even wanted! We want the jobs, the employers want us to have the jobs. They’re calling this move to the North the Great Migration. I’ve been fortunate enough to have saved up for the move, but through the unity of my people, I cannot help but feel their pain. I would hate to leave anyone behind, but have to put the needs of my family, my first and foremost unified people. My people have even gotten so desperate that they’ve written the editor of the Defender offering a deduction of pay from their salary to cover their travel costs once they get to the free land, the North.
I know that the world has yet to fully recognize us as people, but we have come a long way from where we were half a century ago, even a decade ago, or a couple of years ago. Just last year the New KKK, oh those horrible, horrible people did such terrible, terrible things in the Red Summer, Tulsa and Rosewood. Liberty has no cost, as my family and community have been witness to the death of many for our liberty. The North has the hope for a better life, yet no promises. To the white folks of the north, I will be forever grateful. I cannot wait for the life that my family will have their, giving my children the chance at an education, something no one can take away or render from them. This is something I will treasure forever in the debts of my soul.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the rest of my life, or should I say, tomorrow, I begin my life. Although I am scared, my faith has to be that we will succeed, that our lives will be worth living and we will be unified through our differences.
Until we meet again,
Abbot Lutcher