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Wandering in Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots by Morgan Jerkins
danidsfavereads's review against another edition
There is no way to give a rating to a memoir, especially one like this. It was so interesting to read how Morgan went on a journey to discover her family’s history.
I really enjoyed seeing not only what she learned, but also how she researched (who she spoke to and how she made those decisions). I liked how the story was a mix of memoir and history; how Jerkins integrated all she learned into what she knew about herself and her family, and how she perceived their world.
The section about Los Angeles was the most interesting to me as I am living and working in those areas. I will definitely be revisiting it and doing further research to understand the community.
Listened to this via ALC from Libro.fm.
I really enjoyed seeing not only what she learned, but also how she researched (who she spoke to and how she made those decisions). I liked how the story was a mix of memoir and history; how Jerkins integrated all she learned into what she knew about herself and her family, and how she perceived their world.
The section about Los Angeles was the most interesting to me as I am living and working in those areas. I will definitely be revisiting it and doing further research to understand the community.
Listened to this via ALC from Libro.fm.
readingwithstardust's review against another edition
5.0
Wow I learned... a lot. Really worthwhile listen.
half_book_and_co's review against another edition
4.0
There are a few questions at the beginning of Morgan Jerkins‘ journey: She wants to uncover her families roots, trace their movements and uncover why they left the places they left and stayed at the places they stayed. In her introduction, she asserts: “Because ruptures in cultural memory characterized much of my life and the lives of others in my community, I decided to consider these gaps an opportunity, rather than an impasse. I was weary with my conception of self, of the diaspora, as one of loss.”
Taking the Great Migration – the movement of ca. six million Black Americans from the South to the North between 1916 and 1970 – as a starting point and looking at her paternal as well as maternal family, Jerkins travels to the Lowcountry (Georgia and South Carolina), Louisiana, Oklahoma, and LA. She remains always open to what she might find states at one point: “Reconsideration is what history is all about; history doesn’t care what you feel. I had to be OK with being uncomfortable with whatever I would find out about my family.”
In each place, she meets different people and does research not only into her particular family history but also the broader contexts she tries to understand. Doing so Jerkins paints a nuanced and detailed picture which shows a broadness of Black experiences but also highlights the interconnectedness. She shows the brittleness of race categories too – without denying their every day and structural effects. Jerkins writes about the Gullah and their specific culture, language, and current problems of on-going expulsion, she interrogates Creole identity/ identities, asks about the relationships between Black and Indigenous people, and looks at the tense history of LA.
There is so much in this book, like also her explorations of Black people’s different relationships to water and swimming or an understanding of voodoo and other spiritual practices. At times I would have wanted to get more on some of the themes and topics – but that’s may be the beauty of this book. As it is a start for Jerkins life-long exploration, it is also a starting point for (some) readers to dive deeper into some of the brought up topics.
Taking the Great Migration – the movement of ca. six million Black Americans from the South to the North between 1916 and 1970 – as a starting point and looking at her paternal as well as maternal family, Jerkins travels to the Lowcountry (Georgia and South Carolina), Louisiana, Oklahoma, and LA. She remains always open to what she might find states at one point: “Reconsideration is what history is all about; history doesn’t care what you feel. I had to be OK with being uncomfortable with whatever I would find out about my family.”
In each place, she meets different people and does research not only into her particular family history but also the broader contexts she tries to understand. Doing so Jerkins paints a nuanced and detailed picture which shows a broadness of Black experiences but also highlights the interconnectedness. She shows the brittleness of race categories too – without denying their every day and structural effects. Jerkins writes about the Gullah and their specific culture, language, and current problems of on-going expulsion, she interrogates Creole identity/ identities, asks about the relationships between Black and Indigenous people, and looks at the tense history of LA.
There is so much in this book, like also her explorations of Black people’s different relationships to water and swimming or an understanding of voodoo and other spiritual practices. At times I would have wanted to get more on some of the themes and topics – but that’s may be the beauty of this book. As it is a start for Jerkins life-long exploration, it is also a starting point for (some) readers to dive deeper into some of the brought up topics.
tracithomas's review
3.0
This book is well researched and offers lots of information that was new to me. I loved learning more about The Great Migration. The writing/craft of the book was lacking and felt very simplistic. The content was very interesting and some parts were really new to me.
loyaltolit's review against another edition
I learned SO much and it sparked my curiosity to do my own research on some of the topics Jerkins explored, which to me is the ultimate sign of a great text.
beccakmo's review against another edition
5.0
A heartfelt and unforgiving dive into all of the ways Black Americans have been driven from their lands by the US government and their fellow citizens since the foundation of this nation. An eye-opening celebration of people, culture, and one's connection to place juxtaposed to the continuous upheaval and uprooting of Black Americans. Jerkins writes with tenderness, empathy, sorrow, and a complete commitment to honoring her ancestors and her heritage through not only written documentation but generations of oral histories and traditions. Packed with timely reminders of the unsettling history of the United States and the ways these systems of racism and fear still hold life-threatening power in our nation today.
Read it, read it, read it.
Read it, read it, read it.
caitlyn888's review against another edition
5.0
I'm once again in awe of Morgan Jerkins' incredible writing talent (and kicking myself AGAIN for not trying to get my stuff published when I see someone my age so successful). Jerkins' interweaves the personal narrative with historical fact in a smooth, engaging writing style. She educated me on so much BIPOC American history that I was reminded once more how ignorant I am about the complicated, intricate racial history of this country. I would put this on a required reading list for people who want to learn more about the American history they don't cover in school and how that still impacts present day race relations.