The Great Migration was a significant movement of about six million Black Americans from the Southern states to urban areas in the North and West between 1916 and 1970. It offered opportunities for non-agricultural work, higher wages, education, and escape from racial violence.
On June 19, 1865, the freed people from Texas were informed of their freedom, marking the beginning of Juneteenth celebration. It was later taken to cities like Los Angeles, Oakland, and Seattle during the Great Migration.
In 1877, federal troops were withdrawn from the South, leading to a backlash from southern white racists who initiated a campaign of terror, which further intensified over time.
After being freed on paper, thousands of African-Americans known as Exodusters fled the violent white backlash following Reconstruction in a short-lived migration to Kansas in 1879.
By 1880, migration of African Americans to Kansas had begun, marking a shift in population distribution. This movement was a precursor to the larger Great Migrations that followed.
In 1900–01, Chicago's population reached 1,754,473. By 1920, the city had added over 1 million residents.
In 1902, a black woman in Alabama expressed the concerns and discussions within the African-American community about whether to remain in the South or move elsewhere to seek security and better opportunities.
Ella Baker was born in 1903 in Norfolk, Virginia, to devout and ambitious parents and grew up in North Carolina.
The National Urban League was founded in New York City to assist African American migrants in integrating into urban life by providing support in job opportunities, housing arrangements, and economic education.
The first phase of the Great Migration began in 1915, leading to approximately 1.6 million African Americans relocating from rural southern areas to urban northern cities between 1915 and 1930.
In 1917, Zora Neale Hurston arrived in Baltimore after traveling from Florida. She had a non-traditional journey, starting as a maid with a theater troupe and eventually making her way to Howard University, where she began her literary career.
The Red Summer of 1919 was a period of heightened racial tensions and violence in various cities across the United States, fueled by white resentment towards demographic changes due to African American migration.
In 1920, Mallie Robinson, a sharecropper from Georgia, moved to California with her five children, including Jackie Robinson, to escape the harsh conditions of the South. Despite facing discrimination in their new neighborhood, Mallie's children were able to attend integrated schools, providing opportunities for Jackie to excel in athletics.
In 1927, Richard Wright, a sharecropper's son from Natchez, Mississippi, embarked on a train journey to Chicago at the age of 19. This experience inspired his later works and exploration of the African American experience in the North.
James Earl Jones, as a little boy, went mute for eight years due to the trauma of being uprooted from his mother and the fears of abandonment. He was coaxed out of his silence by a high school English teacher, which eventually led him to pursue a successful acting career.
An opera produced in 1932 that depicts the journey of the Great Migration and its impact on the Harlem Renaissance, showcasing the cultural and artistic developments of the time.
The National Housing Act of 1934 contributed to limiting the availability of loans to urban areas, particularly those areas inhabited by African Americans.
In 1935, a little boy and his extended family embarked on a northbound train journey from Mississippi, carrying their possessions in wooden crates. They were segregated in the Jim Crow car and had to bring their own food for the trip. The boy, only 4 years old, felt anxious about leaving his farm and missing his mother.
In 1937, Carl and Nannie Hansberry, a black couple from Chicago, moved to the all-white neighborhood of Woodlawn to provide a better life for their family. Despite facing violent opposition from the white residents, they persevered in their pursuit of a home for their children.
In 1940, Richard Wright published his novel 'Native Son' in New York, which received national acclaim. This work, along with others, established him as a prominent figure representing the Great Migration.
Jacob Lawrence created a series of paintings depicting the struggle of African-American migrants adapting to Northern cities during the Great Migration. The series was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in 1941 and gained significant attention, establishing Lawrence as a prominent African-American artist of the time.
In 1943, Muddy Waters, a blues legend, migrated from Mississippi to Chicago via the Illinois Central Railroad. His music played a significant role in defining the blues genre and influencing the development of rock 'n' roll.
In 1946, Richard Wright, a prominent African-American writer, moved to France after facing hostility and discrimination in various cities in the United States during the Great Migration.
Tom Bradley, born on a cotton plantation in Texas to sharecroppers, migrated to Los Angeles at a young age. Despite facing challenges and discrimination, he pursued education, became a track star, joined the police force, and eventually became the first black mayor of Los Angeles in 1973, serving five consecutive terms.
A book by Florette Henri that focuses on the migration of Black individuals from the South to the North between 1900 and 1920.
A book by Carol Marks that delves into the topic of the Great Migration, particularly focusing on the farewell and departure of individuals from the South.
A book by Alferdteen Harrison that discusses the significant movement of Black individuals from the American South during the Great Migration.
A book by Milton Sernett exploring the religious aspects of the Great Migration.
A book by Donald Holley discussing the impact of the mechanical cotton picker and Black migration on the modern South.
A book by James M. Gregory that explores the impact of the migration of Black and White Southerners on America.
A book by Isabel Wilkerson narrating the epic tale of America's Great Migration.
The Great Migration is portrayed in the 2013 film 'The Butler' and inspired August Wilson's 'The Piano Lesson'.
The children of migrants were found to have higher chances of developing mental health disorders compared to children of non-migrants in the Southern region.