Great Migration

Definition

The Great Migration was a mass movement of African Americans from the rural southern United States to the urban northern and western United States that occurred from around 1916 to 1970. This large-scale internal migration had significant impacts on the political culture and majority-minority relations in the United States.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Great Migration was driven by a combination of economic, social, and political factors, including the decline of the agricultural economy in the South, the rise of industrial jobs in the North, and the desire to escape racial discrimination and violence.
2. The influx of African Americans into northern cities during the Great Migration led to increased racial tensions and the emergence of new urban political machines and voting blocs.
3. The Great Migration contributed to the growth of African American cultural and intellectual movements, such as the Harlem Renaissance, which challenged traditional racial hierarchies and promoted black pride and identity.
4. The demographic shifts caused by the Great Migration had lasting impacts on the political landscape of the United States, including the rise of the civil rights movement and the increased representation of African Americans in government.
5. The Great Migration also led to significant changes in the economic and social structures of both the sending and receiving communities, with the South experiencing labor shortages and the North grappling with issues of housing, employment, and social services.

Review Questions

• Describe the key factors that drove the Great Migration and how they contributed to the movement of African Americans from the South to the North and West.
  • The key factors that drove the Great Migration were primarily economic, social, and political in nature. The decline of the agricultural economy in the South, combined with the rise of industrial jobs in the North, provided economic incentives for African Americans to seek better employment opportunities outside of the South. Additionally, the persistent racial discrimination, violence, and lack of political and social rights under the Jim Crow system in the South motivated many African Americans to flee the region in search of greater freedom and equality in the urban centers of the North and West. The desire to escape the oppressive conditions of the Jim Crow era was a significant factor in the mass movement of African Americans during the Great Migration.
• Analyze the impact of the Great Migration on the political culture and majority-minority relations in the United States.
  • The Great Migration had a profound impact on the political culture and majority-minority relations in the United States. The influx of African Americans into northern and western cities led to increased racial tensions and the emergence of new urban political machines and voting blocs. This demographic shift challenged the traditional racial hierarchies and power structures, as African Americans became more politically engaged and sought greater representation and civil rights. The Great Migration also contributed to the growth of African American cultural and intellectual movements, such as the Harlem Renaissance, which further challenged racial discrimination and promoted black pride and identity. These changes had lasting impacts on the political landscape of the United States, including the rise of the civil rights movement and the increased representation of African Americans in government.
• Evaluate the long-term consequences of the Great Migration on the economic and social structures of both the sending and receiving communities.
  • The Great Migration had significant long-term consequences on the economic and social structures of both the sending and receiving communities. In the South, the mass exodus of African Americans led to labor shortages, which disrupted the agricultural economy and contributed to the decline of the plantation system. This demographic shift also had social implications, as southern communities grappled with the loss of a significant portion of their population. In the North and West, the influx of African Americans into urban centers strained the existing infrastructure and social services, leading to issues of housing, employment, and integration. However, the Great Migration also contributed to the growth of African American cultural and intellectual movements, which challenged traditional racial hierarchies and promoted greater social and political rights. Overall, the Great Migration had far-reaching impacts on the economic, social, and political structures of both the sending and receiving communities, with lasting consequences for the United States as a whole.

Related terms

Jim Crow Laws: Discriminatory state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the southern United States after the end of Reconstruction until the 1960s.

Racial Discrimination: The unfair treatment of individuals or groups based on their race or ethnicity, often resulting in unequal opportunities and social marginalization.

Urbanization:

The process by which a population becomes concentrated in urban areas, leading to the growth and development of cities.