Question

What was the cause of the great migration?

Answer 1

The great migration was the great displacement of African-Americans from the southern states of the United States to the northern states. Looking to find better opportunities for work and fleeing segregation, they migrated massively starting in the early 1900's. They were searching for a better quality of life, more freedom and equality of rights. Motivated to move away from poverty, hunger and violence placed upon them by the conservative Southern American society, they began to migrate to cities of the north, southwest and western United Sates, changing from a rural life to an urban one.They found new jobs in the manufacturing industry that was rising in the north as a result of the first and second world wars and were able to settle and then create new communities. As a result of many years of slavery and even after its abolition, these black Americans suffered injustice, prejudice and racism and were forced to look elsewhere for better living conditions in general. Also the great migration gave African-Americans the chance to better integrate themselves into public and social life within the established mainly white/ of European decent society. These resulted in a great change in the American society as a whole, giving way for black culture to start to develop and take root. African Americans left behind a marginalized and discriminatory existence to raise on they own merits and to form unique and diverse communities with their own culture, food and music among other features that give them their identity today.