Henry Louis Gates Jr. has a knack for making history feel present, and his latest PBS docuseries, “Great Migrations: A People on the Move,” looks to continue that trend. This four-part series tackles the mass movement of Black Americans from the South throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, a story often told in snippets but rarely given this kind of comprehensive treatment.
The premiere, “Exodus,” focuses on the initial wave of the Great Migration, spanning 1910 to 1940. Over one million Black Americans left the suffocating grip of the Jim Crow South, seeking economic opportunities and basic human dignity in the North. Gates doesn’t just recount the statistics; he examines the motivations—the mix of hope and fear that fueled these journeys. Were these migrations a desperate escape, or a hopeful reach for a “promised land”? The series seems interested in complicating the narrative, questioning the very idea of such a utopia.
What’s smart about Gates’ approach is the broader context he brings. He connects this specific American experience to the larger story of human migration, reminding us that movement has shaped everything from our evolution to our nations. This isn’t just Black history; it’s human history, and by framing it that way, the series has the potential to resonate with a much wider audience. Will “Great Migrations” offer groundbreaking revelations? Maybe, maybe not. But Gates’ thoughtful approach and PBS’s commitment to quality suggest a series worth watching.
“Great Migrations: A People on the Move” premieres Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 9:00 PM on PBS.