Great Migration

Definition

The Great Migration refers to the mass movement of over six million African Americans from the rural Southern United States to urban areas in the North and West from around 1916 to 1970. This migration was driven by a search for better economic opportunities and escape from the oppressive conditions of the South, which included systemic racism, disenfranchisement, and violent reprisals.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Great Migration occurred in two main waves: the first wave from 1916 to 1940 and the second wave from 1941 to 1970.
2. Major destinations included cities like Chicago, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, where job opportunities in industries such as steel, automotive, and manufacturing were abundant.
3. African Americans faced significant challenges upon arrival in Northern cities, including racial discrimination in housing and employment, leading to the development of vibrant urban communities.
4. The Great Migration profoundly impacted American culture, contributing to the Harlem Renaissance and influencing music styles like jazz and blues.
5. By the end of the Great Migration, many Southern cities experienced significant demographic changes as African American populations shifted towards urban centers.

Review Questions

• How did economic conditions in the South contribute to the decisions made by African Americans during the Great Migration?
  • Economic conditions in the post-Reconstruction South were characterized by limited job opportunities, exploitative labor systems like sharecropping, and widespread poverty. African Americans sought better economic prospects in Northern industrial cities where factories were booming and jobs were more readily available. This search for financial stability was a major driving force behind their mass exodus from the South during the Great Migration.
• Discuss the role of community formation among African Americans who migrated North during the Great Migration.
  • As African Americans moved North during the Great Migration, they formed tight-knit communities that provided support and solidarity in a new environment often hostile to their presence. These communities created social networks that facilitated access to jobs, housing, and cultural activities. They became important centers for cultural expression and political activism, contributing to movements aimed at combating racism and advocating for civil rights.
• Evaluate the long-term cultural impacts of the Great Migration on American society as a whole.
  • The long-term cultural impacts of the Great Migration are profound and transformative. The influx of African Americans into urban centers led to a flourishing of Black culture exemplified by movements like the Harlem Renaissance, which brought literature, art, and music into mainstream American culture. This period also saw the emergence of new musical genres such as jazz and blues that have deeply influenced American music. Moreover, the migration changed demographic patterns across the United States, fostering greater awareness and dialogue about race relations that continue to shape contemporary society.

Related terms

Jim Crow Laws:

State and local laws enacted in the Southern United States that enforced racial segregation and disenfranchised African Americans after the Reconstruction era.

Urbanization:

The process by which an increasing percentage of a population comes to live in urban areas, often associated with migration from rural settings.

Harlem Renaissance:

A cultural movement in the 1920s that celebrated African American cultural expressions through literature, art, and music, largely fueled by the influx of Black migrants to cities like New York.