Additional Activities

Many of the people who came North during the Great Migration sent letters to the Chicago Defender and to family and friends in Chicago asking for advice on how to find a home and job here.

Students can be asked to imagine they are moving to another place and need to write a letter asking for advice. Some of the questions they might ask are where will I live and go to school? What is the climate like and how will I get around? What are the people like?

Students can be paired up with one writing the letter seeking advice and the other answering it.

Students can also write a letter describing their life in Chicago to an imaginary person who is thinking of moving here.

Teachers could arrange an actual pen pal exchange using letter writing or email between students in other districts, states, or even countries for this activity.