Should Black Americans ‘reverse migrate’ to red states? SiriusXM host Karen Hunter explains why it might be a good idea
SiriusXM host Karen Hunter has been watching a lot of TV to escape these days. The award-winning journalist, professor, and bestselling author says that like many Black voters who rallied for democracy in Election 2024, she’s taking a beat to prioritize self-care and let America have its choice.
“I’m gonna allow myself a minute to sit and regroup, and refocus and reinspire,” Hunter told theGrio during an interview about her new Women’s Empowerment Network podcast launch.
“It’s wild because, you know, I do this daily radio show … 20 plus years journalism, teaching … Of course, I have a team, so I know what the hell is going on in the world, but I’m just not bothered. I figured I gave myself a date to be bothered. February 1st, Black History Month. The start of Black History Month. I’m going to be very bothered at that point.”
However, Hunter says that while it’s tempting to check out entirely, communities that care have to have a plan for re-engaging because their futures depend on it.
“One hundred years from now, we’re going to need to do something today to make sure that we still have a society; that we have children that are thriving; that there’s a foundation for civility and excellence,” Hunter told theGrio.
That’s why Hunter is working through ideas for rallying people to fight back politically and socially, from teaching through her new podcast network to an even bolder call to action: a reverse migration.
“You live somewhere. The option is not to run,” Hunter told theGrio. “Let’s go into some of these red states and make sure that our pop-pops and memaws are good because they’re not leaving. Let’s go provide them with what they need. Let’s go back into our communities.”
“Maybe if we great migrate, we need to do it in the opposite direction,” she said, emphasizing the need for reinvestment in areas like Jackson, Mississippi, and rural counties and strongholds across the South.
“Let’s go to Memphis in big numbers. You know, Chicago, Detroit, all those places are nice. But where we’re needed [is] not Atlanta … Maybe in some of those red counties,” Hunter explained. “Texas has the largest population of Black people any place in the country, in terms of sheer numbers — but we’re packed and cracked into these little [places].”
The concept of reverse migration isn’t far-fetched. Researchers have noted the phenomenon of the “new great migration,” which ironically started in the 1970s and picked up speed in the 1990s, according to the Brookings Institute. These moves helped create the “new South,” which continues to flourish as many working professional and college-educated Black Americans return to the places their ancestors once fled.
Despite the impression that the former president won Election 2024 in a landslide, more recent analysis shows that the southern swing states of Georgia and North Carolina were won by less than 3.2 percentage points, according to ABC News.
Hunter tied her call to a broader philosophy of community responsibility. “Everyone lives somewhere. What are you going to do to make it better?” she asked, urging individuals to prioritize local engagement rather than retreating inward permanently.
Highlighting the political power of Black communities in large numbers, Hunter pointed out disparities in representation that made so much of America’s map red after Election 2024. “North and South Dakota … each get two senators. Why not have 100,000 of us descend upon [them] with a plan?” she suggested, envisioning a shift that could reshape the political landscape.
“Let’s go provide [our communities] with what they need,” she urged.
Hunter’s vision is not just about migration but about creating a sense of purpose and unity for millions of listeners, as people navigate the unknown in the next four years.
“I really believe there are way more good people than [there] are bad people. I think people generally don’t want to be misinformed and ignorant,” Hunter tells theGrio. That belief is inspiring how her new podcast network, her daily show on SiriusXM Urban View and her teaching will all be put to use, especially over the next four years:
“We need to be fed, we need to be inspired.”
Watch more clips from the full interview with Karen Hunter above on theGrio.com.
Natasha S. Alford is the Senior Vice President of TheGrio. A recognized journalist, filmmaker and TV personality, Alford is also author of the award-winning book, “American Negra.” (HarperCollins, 2024) Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @natashasalford.