African Americans and the Impact of the Great Migration in the North and South

African Americans and the Impact of the Great Migration in the North and South

In honor of Black History Month the Norwalk Historical Society will be hosting a lecture by Dr. Stacey Close entitled: “African Americans and the Impact of the Great Migration in the North and South” on Sunday, February 11, 2018 at 2:00pm at the Norwalk Historical Society Museum.

The lecture will discuss reasons for the larger migration and also focus on the migration’s impact on Connecticut and the nation. Guests can also view the Museum’s exhibition: “Destination Norwalk: African-American Migration from the South, 1940-1970” which highlights the migration of 5 million black Americans from southern states during the "The Second Migration" to urban industrial centers of the North, Midwest and West. Some making their destination Norwalk, Connecticut.  Tickets are $5.00 and can be purchased here or by calling 203-846-0525.  Please note that the lecture will take place upstairs and seating is limited. 

Purchasing in advance is highly recommended. 

Parking is available at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Avenue.  The museum is in the red brick house with blue double front doors, next to the Norwalk Health Dept.  If there is inclement weather, the lecture will be rescheduled for Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 2:00pm.

About Dr. Stacey Close
Stacey Close has worked in higher education for more than 20 years.  He currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Equity and Diversity at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, CT.   A professor of history, Close received his Ph.D. and M.A. from The Ohio State University and B.A. from Albany State College, a HBCU in Georgia.  He has taught courses that focused on African American, American, African, and Southern history. In addition, he has made paper presentations at conferences such as the Southern Conference on African American Studies, Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, and Professional and Organizational Development Network. Close has also served as chairperson for the Department of History, Political Science, Philosophy, and Geography, director of the Center for Educational Excellence, and NCAA, Faculty Athletic Representative.  

He has published in journals and presses such as the Journal of Negro History, CT Explored, and Guilford Press.  In 2014 Close was a contributing editor and essayist for African Americans in Connecticut Explored, published by Wesleyan University Press.  He frequently lectures and makes presentations on Black Hartford history. In 2011-2012 Close received the prestigious honor of being an American Council on Education Fellow.  Some of his other honors include the NAACP’s 100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut for 2013 and 2015, Eastern Connecticut State University’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Award, Student Club Advisor of the Year,  and Eastern Connecticut State University s Faculty Teaching Award.

Photo credit courtesy of Rev. Dr. Merle Rumble and Rev. Dewitt Stevens, Jr.

For more information visit www.norwalkhistoricalsociety.org, e-mail info@norwalkhistoricalsociety.org , or call 203-846-0525. The Norwalk Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.