The Great Migration: Two Waves of Change

Introduction

• The Great Migration: One of the most significant internal migrations in US history.
• Approximately 6 million Black Americans moved from the South to the North, Midwest, and West between 1910 and 1970.
• Goal: to seek freedom, opportunity, and safety.
• It was a movement for Black people to seek better opportunities and equality, pursuing the "American dream."
• Ultimately led to the Civil Rights Movement and the Harlem Renaissance, fostering a sense of dignity.

Two Waves of the Great Migration

• First Wave: 1910-1940
• Second Wave: 1940-1970
• Divided by World War II.
• Reasons for migration differed between the two waves.
• Grouping the two waves together from 1910-1970 is inaccurate because of the different push and pull factors, reasons, laws, and social settings.

Destination Cities

• Major destinations during the first wave:
  • Detroit
  • Chicago
  • New York
• Significant numbers of Black Americans born in the South moved to these cities.
• Example:
  • By 1920, approximately 3,500 New York residents were Black individuals born in North Carolina and Georgia.
  • In Detroit, about 20,000 residents were Black individuals born in Alabama or Georgia.
• Shift in the Second Wave (post-1940):
  • Los Angeles became a significant destination.
  • In 1920, around 5,000 Los Angeles residents were Black individuals born in Texas.
  • By 1940, this number increased to approximately 25,000.

Push Factors from the South (1910-1940)

• Racial Violence:
  • Lynching terror.
  • Ku Klux Klan activities.
• Jim Crow Laws:
  • Legal segregation.
  • Restrictions on civil rights.
  • Limited access to fair education.
• Economic Hardships:
  • Sharecropping.
  • Tenant farming.
  • Low wages.
• Lack of Freedom:
  • Segregation and systemic oppression.

Pull Factors to the North (1910-1940)

• Absence of Jim Crow Laws:
  • The North did not have legally enforced Jim Crow laws.
• Job Opportunities:
  • World War I created job openings as men went to war.
  • Natural disasters in the South (1915-1917) disrupted farming, pushing people to seek industrial jobs in the North.
  • Industrial jobs offered sustainability and better pay.
• Better Education, Political, and Social Freedoms
• Greater Safety:
  • Lynching was not permitted in the North.

Differentiating the Two Waves

• First Wave (1910-1940): Primarily driven by the need to escape the South for a better lifestyle, jobs, education, and social opportunities.
• Second Wave (1940-1970): More focused on actively fighting for civil rights.
• Social Movements:
  • First Wave linked to the Harlem Renaissance.
  • Second Wave linked to the Civil Rights Movement.

Significance of Distinguishing the Waves

• Prevents overlooking the important history and developments embedded in each wave.
• Provides a better understanding of various factors:
  • Impact of wars.
  • Economic influences.
  • The role of the Harlem Renaissance in the Civil Rights Movement.