Glossary
Black Churches and Community Groups
Religious institutions and local associations within African American communities that provided social, spiritual, and practical support.
Example:
Upon arriving in new cities, migrants often found solace and assistance through Black Churches and Community Groups, which helped them find housing, jobs, and a sense of belonging.
Black Newspapers
Publications owned and operated by African Americans, serving as vital sources of information, community news, and advocacy.
Example:
Black Newspapers like The Chicago Defender played a critical role by publishing stories of Northern opportunities and encouraging Southern African Americans to migrate.
Black Press
The collective term for newspapers, magazines, and other publications created by and for African Americans.
Example:
The Black Press played a crucial role in disseminating information about opportunities in the North, acting as a lifeline and motivator for potential migrants.
Boll Weevil
A destructive beetle that feeds on cotton buds and flowers, causing significant damage to cotton crops.
Example:
The widespread infestation of the boll weevil decimated cotton fields across the South, leaving countless Black farmers without their primary source of income.
Bronzeville
A historic African American neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago that became a significant cultural and economic center for Black migrants.
Example:
In Chicago, Bronzeville flourished as a self-sufficient Black community, with thriving businesses, churches, and entertainment venues serving the influx of Southern migrants.
Environmental Issues
Natural problems or disasters, such as floods, droughts, or pest infestations, that negatively impact agriculture and livelihoods.
Example:
Devastating floods and the persistent threat of the boll weevil were environmental issues that destroyed crops and forced many Black farmers to abandon their land.
Great Migration
The largest internal migration in U.S. history, involving approximately six million African Americans moving from the South to the North, Midwest, and West.
Example:
During the Great Migration, families packed their belongings and left the oppressive South, seeking new lives and opportunities in bustling Northern cities like Chicago and New York.
Harlem
A neighborhood in New York City that became a prominent cultural and intellectual center for African Americans during and after the Great Migration.
Example:
As a result of the Great Migration, Harlem transformed into a vibrant hub of Black culture, art, and intellectual life, fostering the Harlem Renaissance.
Higher Wages
Increased pay rates for labor compared to what was available in a previous location or industry.
Example:
The prospect of earning significantly higher wages in Northern industrial jobs was a strong incentive for African Americans accustomed to meager pay in the agricultural South.
Hope for Safety
The desire and expectation of finding a secure environment free from violence, discrimination, and oppression.
Example:
Beyond economic gain, many migrants sought hope for safety, dreaming of a place where their families could live without the constant fear of racial terror.
Jim Crow laws
State and local statutes enacted in the Southern and some border states of the United States that enforced racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans.
Example:
Under Jim Crow laws, Black citizens were subjected to separate and inferior facilities, from schools and hospitals to restrooms and public transportation.
Job Opportunities
The availability of employment positions, particularly in industries seeking a large workforce.
Example:
The booming factories of the North, especially during wartime, offered abundant job opportunities that were a major draw for Southern migrants.
Limited Economic Opportunities
A scarcity of viable and fair ways for individuals to earn a living and achieve financial stability.
Example:
For many Black Southerners, limited economic opportunities under the sharecropping system meant perpetual debt and little chance for upward mobility.
Lynching
The extrajudicial killing of an individual by a mob, often by hanging, without due process of law, typically targeting African Americans in the South.
Example:
The horrific practice of lynching served as a brutal form of racial terrorism, instilling fear and reinforcing white supremacy in the Jim Crow South.
Map of the Great Migration
A geographical representation illustrating the routes and patterns of African American movement from the Southern United States to other regions during the Great Migration.
Example:
The Map of the Great Migration clearly shows the demographic shift, highlighting the primary destinations in the North, Midwest, and West that attracted Southern migrants.
National Urban League
An interracial organization founded to help African American migrants adjust to urban life and advocate for their civil rights.
Example:
The National Urban League provided crucial support, offering housing assistance, job training, and social services to Black individuals newly arrived in Northern cities.
Pull Factors
Attractive conditions or advantages in a new location that draw people to migrate there.
Example:
The promise of higher wages and greater personal safety in Northern cities served as powerful pull factors for those considering leaving the South.
Push Factors
Conditions or circumstances in a region that compel people to leave their homes and migrate elsewhere.
Example:
The harsh realities of Jim Crow laws and widespread lynchings were significant push factors for African Americans in the early 20th century.
Racial Violence
Acts of aggression, intimidation, or harm perpetrated against individuals or groups due to their race.
Example:
The constant threat of racial violence, including lynchings and mob attacks, made daily life in the Jim Crow South terrifying for Black families.
Railroads
A system of tracks and trains used for transportation, which facilitated the movement of people and goods across long distances.
Example:
The expanding network of railroads made it physically possible for millions of African Americans to travel from the rural South to distant Northern cities during the Great Migration.
Sharecropping
A system where a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crops produced on their portion of land.
Example:
Many African American families were trapped in a cycle of debt through sharecropping, as they often had to borrow money for supplies and faced unfair accounting practices.
The Chicago Defender
An influential African American newspaper based in Chicago that actively encouraged and informed the Great Migration.
Example:
Through its widely circulated articles, The Chicago Defender became a powerful voice, spreading news of job openings and safer conditions in the North to Black communities across the South.
The Migration Series by Jacob Lawrence
A powerful visual narrative comprising 60 panels, created by artist Jacob Lawrence, depicting the experiences of African Americans during the Great Migration.
Example:
The Migration Series by Jacob Lawrence vividly portrays the hopes, struggles, and profound societal shifts that characterized the mass movement of Black people from the South.