The Great Migration is a unique, ongoing digitization service program that partners the National Museum of African American History and Culture with individuals across the United States to preserve their important analog audiovisual media. While major motion picture film and television historically lacked diverse representation, black history was instinctively being preserved in everyday home movies. Today, these personal narratives serve as an invaluable tool for understanding and re-framing black moving image history, and provide a much needed visualization of African American history and culture.

This collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the 34 rolls of microfilm described in NARA publication M999. These digital surrogates reproduced the records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Tennessee, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–69. The records consist of 32 volumes and nearly 36 feet of unbound documents. The volumes include letters, endorsements sent, and telegrams sent; special orders and circular issued; registers of letters received; registers of abandoned property; and other records. The unbound records consist primarily of letters, telegrams, issuances, reports, and contracts received.

The collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the five rolls of microfilm described in the NARA publication M980. These digital surrogates reproduced the records of the Superintendent of Education for the State of Arkansas, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–71. The records consist of 10 volumes and some unbound documents. The volumes include letters and endorsements sent and registers of letters received. The unbound documents consist primarily of letters and reports received.

The collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the 52 rolls of microfilm described in the NARA publication M979. These digital surrogates reproduced the records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Arkansas, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–69. The records consist of 24 volumes and some unbound documents. The volumes include letters, telegrams, and endorsements sent; circulars and special orders issued; registers of letters and telegrams received; bound letters sent and received; a register of abandoned and confiscated lands in the State of Arkansas; and a station book of officers and civilians employed by the Bureau. The unbound documents consist primarily of letters and reports received.

The collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the 44 rolls of microfilm described in the NARA publication M869. These digital surrogates reproduced the records of the Assistant Commissioner for the state of South Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–70. A few of the records are dated as early as 1863. The records consist of 38 volumes and approximately 30 cubic feet of unbound records. The volumes include letters and endorsements sent, registers of letters received, and orders issued. The unbound records consist mainly of reports, letters received, and applications for restoration of property. The documents were primarily created or received by the Assistant Commissioner and his assistant adjutants. A few of the documents were created or received by Capt. Alexander P. Ketchum, one of Commissioner Oliver Otis Howard's staff officers, who was sent to South Carolina to mediate a dispute over restoration of abandoned land on the sea islands of South Carolina and Georgia.

This collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the 16 rolls of microfilm described in the NARA publication M844. These digital surrogates reproduced the records of the Superintendent of Education for the State of North Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–70. The records consist of 24 volumes and approximately 7 feet of unbound records. There are 10 volumes of press copies of letters sent, a volume of endorsements, four registers of letters received, a register of monthly rents for school buildings, a volume of reports of persons and articles hired, six volumes of statistical school reports, and a list of teachers. Unbound records consist primarily of letters received by the Superintendent and school reports, but also include contracts, agreements, issuances, and returns of stores.

This collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the 38 rolls of microfilm described in the NARA publication M843. These digital surrogates reproduced the previously un–filmed records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of North Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–70. The records consist of 32 volumes and approximately 20 linear feet of unbound records. The volumes include letters and endorsements sent; registers of letters received; telegrams sent and received; special orders, general orders, and circulars; register of persons recommended as inspectors of elections; a register of apprentices indentured; and index books. The unbound series consist mainly of letters received, orders, reports, and freedmen's labor contracts. These documents were created or received by the Assistant Commissioner, the Acting Assistant Commissioner, or either of two staff officers who acted for the Assistant Commissioner.

The collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the 50 rolls of microfilm described in the NARA publication M826. These digital surrogates reproduced the Records of the Superintendent of Assistant Commissioner for the State of Mississippi, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1869. They consist of 41 volumes and approximately 30 feet of unbound records. The volume include letters and endorsements sent; registers of letters received; orders issued and received; registers of indentures and marriages; a register of reports, vouchers, and requisitions received; and index books. The unbound records consist mainly of letters received, orders, reports, freedmen's labor contracts, and a few miscellaneous papers.

The collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the 18 rolls of microfilm described in the NARA publication M822. These digital surrogates reproduced the records of the Superintendent of Education for the State of Texas, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1870. The records consist of 12 volumes and some unbound documents. The volumes include letters and endorsements sent, registers of letters received, and record books pertaining to schools, teachers, and educational expenditures of the Bureau. The unbound documents consist primarily of letters and reports received.

This collection is comprised of digital surrogates previously available on the 203 rolls of microfilm described in the NARA publication M1913. These digital surrogates reproduced the records of the Virginia field offices of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1872, including previously unfilmed records of the Virginia staff offices of the quartermaster and disbursing officer, and the subordinate field offices. These records consist of bound volumes and unbound records, including letters and endorsements sent and received, orders and circulars, monthly reports, and other records relating to freedmen's complaints and claims.