The First Great Migration (1910-1930):
- Occurred primarily between 1910 and 1930, during the early part of the 20th century.
- Was initially driven by economic opportunities, as many African Americans fled the poverty and racial discrimination of the South to seek better jobs and economic opportunities in the industrial cities of the North.
- The expansion of industries during World War I created a labor shortage, leading northern cities to recruit workers from the South.
The Second Great Migration (1940-1970):
- Took place primarily between the 1940s and 1970s.
- Continued the movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban centers but also included westward migration to California, Washington, and Oregon.
- Was marked by significant improvements in transportation, including affordable automobiles and the expansion of the Interstate Highway System, making it easier for individuals to travel and relocate.
- Civil Rights Movement played a role, with growing activism and awareness about racial inequality and the desire to escape segregation and discrimination in the South.
Reasons behind the Great Migration included push factors from the South such as poverty, racial discrimination, lynchings, and Jim Crow laws. Pull factors from the North attracted African Americans, offering access to better job opportunities, improved housing, and greater social and civil rights.
The Great Migration fundamentally changed the demographic landscape of the United States, creating larger and more diverse African-American communities in northern and western cities. It had significant social, political, cultural, and economic impacts on both the communities African Americans left and the ones they moved to.