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.