The Northbound Train

A unique perspective on the Great Migration, when more than six million Black American families left the South to escape Jim Crow laws and racial violence

Clickety-clack! Don’t look back!

Jane and her parents sit in the segregated train car, traveling from Birmingham, Alabama, to Chicago, Illinois, where her father has found a new job. At the start of the journey, they are forced to sit at the back while white passengers ride at the front.

But when the train crosses the Mason-Dixon line, the conductor announces that passengers may change seats—and for the first time, Jane sees Black and white families sitting side by side.

Based on the author’s family history, The Northbound Train offers a powerful child’s-eye view of the Great Migration and captures what it means to leave home behind in search of something better. Includes recommendations for additional reading and an author’s note about this pivotal moment in American history.