The Great Migration was the relocation of over 6 million Black Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North, Midwest, and West from 1916 to 1970.
Driven by unsatisfactory economic conditions and segregationist laws, Black Americans sought better opportunities, particularly during WWI, when demand for industrial workers increased.
This migration fostered a new Black urban culture that significantly influenced the US in subsequent decades.
Causes of the Great Migration
Post-Civil War and Jim Crow Era
Racial inequality persisted in the South after the Civil War and Reconstruction era.
The Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation.
Black codes and sharecropping limited economic opportunities for Black Southerners.
A boll weevil infestation further reduced agricultural prospects.
Despite the dissolution of the Ku Klux Klan in 1869, violence against Black people continued.
Economic Opportunities in the North
WWI curtailed European immigration, leading to labor shortages in the North, Midwest, and West.
Industrial job wages in the North were significantly higher than agricultural wages in the South.
Recruitment by Northern factories and advertisements in Black newspapers encouraged migration.
Life for Migrants in Cities
By 1919, about 1 million Black people had migrated to Northern cities.
Major population increases in Northern cities: New York City (66%), Chicago (148%), Philadelphia (500%), and Detroit (611%).
Employment opportunities were predominantly in factories, slaughterhouses, and foundries.
Female migrants faced intense competition for domestic labor jobs.
Segregation was not legally enforced in the North, but racism was prevalent.
Racially based housing covenants existed until declared unconstitutional in 1948.
Tensions and Cultural Developments
Rising rents and renewed KKK activity worsened racial tensions, leading to the 1919 race riots.
The most notable riot was in Chicago, lasting 13 days, resulting in deaths and displacements.
Black communities created urban cultural hubs, such as Harlem, fostering the Harlem Renaissance.
The Great Migration initiated increased political activism among Black Americans, aiding the civil rights movement.
Impact of the Great Migration
Black migration slowed during the Great Depression but increased again during WWII.
By 1970, the demographic distribution of Black Americans had significantly shifted.
The migration was documented in Isabel Wilkerson’s book, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration.