Lynette A. Jackson

Research Project: New African Diasporas Oral History and Digital Mapping Project. This project collects, analyses and archives the journey narratives of African immigrants, refugess and asylees to Chicago. Very little has been written about the growing African immigrant population in the US, leading one scholar to describe them as "Invisible Sojourners." In many instances, these immigrants and refugees continue to interact with their home countries as well as integrate into the host society. By conducting background research, conducting oral history interviews (individuals and focus groups, we will explore the following questions: 1) How has the nature of Chicago's African diaspora community changed over time; 2) what routes did these communities and individuals travel to get here and what did they bring with them; 3) how do they define and engage with home and homelands; 4) how do they grapple with questions of identity, and 5) how do they integrate into and change the host society? This project is being conducted in conjuction with the Pan African Association.