Great Migration

Definition

The Great Migration was a massive movement of African Americans from the rural Southern United States to the urban centers of the North, Midwest, and West that occurred in two waves from 1916 to 1970. This large-scale internal migration of over 6 million people was driven by the desire to escape racial oppression, seek economic opportunities, and improve living conditions.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Great Migration was a response to the oppressive racial climate and lack of economic opportunities in the South, where the majority of African Americans lived at the time.
2. The first wave of the Great Migration occurred from 1916 to 1930, coinciding with the demand for industrial labor during World War I and the economic opportunities in Northern cities.
3. The second wave of the Great Migration took place from 1940 to 1970, driven by the continued racial discrimination in the South and the economic prospects in the North, Midwest, and West.
4. The Great Migration transformed the demographic and cultural landscape of the United States, with a significant increase in the African American population in urban centers like Chicago, Detroit, and New York City.
5. The Great Migration had a profound impact on the civil rights movement, as the increased concentration of African Americans in urban areas facilitated the organization and mobilization of the struggle for racial equality.

Review Questions

• Explain the key factors that led to the Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the North, Midwest, and West.
  • The key factors that led to the Great Migration were the desire to escape the oppressive racial climate and lack of economic opportunities in the South, where the majority of African Americans lived at the time. The racial discrimination, segregation, and violence under the Jim Crow laws, as well as the promise of better jobs and living conditions in the urban centers of the North, Midwest, and West, motivated millions of African Americans to undertake this massive internal migration between 1916 and 1970.
• Describe the impact of the Great Migration on the demographic and cultural landscape of the United States.
  • The Great Migration had a profound impact on the demographic and cultural landscape of the United States. The influx of millions of African Americans into urban centers in the North, Midwest, and West significantly increased the concentration of the African American population in these regions, transforming the racial and ethnic makeup of cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York City. This demographic shift also led to the emergence of vibrant African American communities and the flourishing of African American art, music, and literature, known as the Harlem Renaissance, which had a lasting influence on American culture.
• Analyze the relationship between the Great Migration and the civil rights movement in the United States.
  • The Great Migration played a crucial role in shaping the civil rights movement in the United States. The increased concentration of African Americans in urban areas facilitated the organization and mobilization of the struggle for racial equality. The migration allowed for the development of strong African American communities and institutions, which served as the foundation for the civil rights movement. Additionally, the economic and social changes brought about by the Great Migration, such as the growth of the African American middle class and the increased political power in urban centers, contributed to the momentum and success of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

Related terms

Racial Discrimination: The unfair treatment or denial of opportunities to individuals or groups based on their race or ethnicity.

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

Urbanization:

The process of population migration from rural to urban areas, leading to the growth and development of cities.