Historical Context of the Great Migration and Harlem Renaissance

Emphasis on engagement with geography by asking students to name U.S. state capitals.
Example questions include:
- Capital of North Carolina: Raleigh.
- Capital of Michigan: Lansing.
- Capital of Washington: Olympia.
- Capital of Texas: Austin.
- Capital of Kansas: Topeka.

In 1915, significant migration occurred among African Americans relocating from the South to the North due to:
- Revival of the Ku Klux Klan leading to racial violence and oppression.
- Economic factors such as the boll weevil affecting the cotton industry, prompting people to search for better opportunities.
- The emergence of a consumer society among African Americans, with increasing ownership of cars and homes.

The boll weevil is an insect that destroys cotton crops, significantly impacting the agricultural economy of the South.
- Before the boll weevil, the South produced over 80% of the world's cotton.
- Post-boll weevil, crops are significantly damaged, leading to economic hardship and prompting migration north.

As African Americans migrate north, they create artistic communities and cultural movements, particularly in cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York City, leading into the Harlem Renaissance.
- Finding time for artistic pursuits becomes feasible in urban areas compared to agricultural settings.

An explosion of art, music, literature, and political activism among African Americans in the 1920s.
- Key figures: Langston Hughes (poet), Duke Ellington (composer), Louis Armstrong (jazz musician).
- Movement fostering black pride and cultural expression, often countering prevailing racial prejudices.
Emergence of jazz music as a dominant genre during the Renaissance, which evolved from earlier styles, with significant contributions from individuals like Louis Armstrong.

Post-Great Migration, leaders like James Weldon Johnson and Marcus Garvey emerge:
- Johnson advocates aggressive legal strategies against segregation through the NAACP.
- Garvey promotes Black Nationalism and the Back to Africa Movement, emphasizing self-sufficiency among African Americans and the establishment of a distinct cultural identity.

Organizations like the NAACP (established 1909) become vital in the fight for civil rights, emphasizing legal action against discrimination.
The New Negro Movement encourages African Americans to reject inferiority and embrace pride in their identity and culture.

World War I provides a backdrop where many African Americans serve and confront racism within the military, leading to a change in perception upon returning home.
The Tulsa Race Massacre (1921) highlights the violent backlash against prosperous black communities, demonstrating the challenges of progress amidst systemic racism.

The end of Storyville in New Orleans due to violence leads musicians, including Louis Armstrong, to seek opportunities in Northern cities, aiding the growth of jazz music.
Josephine Baker becomes a celebrated figure in Europe, exemplifying the transformations and challenges faced by African Americans abroad, contrasting with American segregation.

The Great Migration represents both a physical and cultural journey that shaped modern African American identity, contributing lasting legacies in music, art, and civil rights activism.