Geographic mobility is the measure of how populations, goods, and ideas move over space and time. For governments and businesses this information is vital for various reasons. However, according to Alderman and Inwood (2014), “Geographic mobility is physical movement invested with social meaning (positive or negative) and embedded within structures of power, including [racialized power, such as] white supremacy…Finally, mobility can be (re)constructed in ways that either control or empower historically marginalized groups such as African Americans (p. 72).” Maintaining white supremacy during Jim Crow required the production of Black immobility. In fact, social studies teachers often teach the Jim Crow era solely from the perspective of Black immobility. This is often epitomized with primary source photographs showing signs that read, “Whites Only” or “No Negros Allowed”. Yet, African-Americans did move from place to place during this era, and not just in small numbers. In fact, the scholars who study the Great Migration suggest that nearly 2 million African-Americans moved from the South. There are additional evidence to suggest that African Americans resisted immobility efforts put on them by whites including the creation and production of The Green Book, a travel guide, for middle-class African-American travelers to avoid discrimination by identifying accommodations that would welcome them. This proposal is an example lesson that highlights the geographic concept of mobility and shares how a history lesson can be tailored to discuss this important concept and content.

Authors:
Joshua Kenna, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Joshua Kenna is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States

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