The Great

Migration

The Great Migration

•The movement of 1.6 million African

Americans out of the rural Southern United States to the urban

Northeast, Midwest, and West between 1910–

1930

The Great Migration• 1910-1930 (second wave, 1930 to 1970)• Movement of 6 million African Americans out of the rural south into the Northeast, Midwest, and West.

– New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Indianapolis

• Largest internal movement of an American population.• By the end of the Great Migration…

– African Americans became an urbanized—rather than rural—population.

– Northern American cities became significantly more black

The Great Migration• Push Factors

• Racial Violence• Rise of the KKK• Lynching

• Economic Repression • Share cropping• Tenant Farming

• KKK: Boycotts and Intimidation• Political Repression

• Jim Crow Laws• Sundown Towns

• Environmental Devastation• Volatile Weather of 1915-16 (drought and flood)• Boll Weevil

The Great Migration

• Pull Factors• Economic Opportunity?• Political Rights• Unity and Solidarity• Hope• Mystery, Adventure and

Myths

The Great MigrationWhere African-Americans Migrated To &

Why

• Primarily Chicago, Detroit and NY

• Also: St. Louis, Indianapolis, Philadelphia

• Industrial Towns with Booming Industries

• Towns With Supportive Networks

The Great Migration• What Migrants Brought With

Them• Economic Despair• Illiteracy• Political inexperience• Experiences & Memories

• Hopes and Dreams• Fear & Despair• Racism & Prejudice

• Culture: music, poetry, prose, visual art…

Effects of the Great Migration

• Shift Blacks from a Rural Population to an Urban Population

• Increase the number of African Americans living in North cities; Make these cities truly multi-racial