1/51

The Great Migration

The Great Migration is a term used to describe the mass migration of African Americans from the southern United States to the industrial centers of the Northeast and Midwest between the 1910s and 1960s.

This event is shown by one of the most famous African American painters of the 20^th century, Jacob Lawrence. Lawrence’s Migration Series tells the story of the Great Migration.

Jacob Lawrence

2/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"Around the time of WWI, many African-Americans from the South left home and traveled to cities in the North in search of a better life." Jacob Lawrence

3/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"There was a shortage of workers in Northern factories because many had left their jobs to fight in the First World War." Jacob Lawrence

4/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"The factory owners had to find new workers to replace those who were marching off to war." Jacob Lawrence

5/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"Northern industries offered Southern blacks jobs as workers and lent them money, to be repaid later, for their railroad tickets. The Northbound trains were packed with recruits." Jacob Lawrence

6/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"Nature had ravaged the South. Floods ruined farms. The boll weevil destroyed cotton crops." Jacob Lawrence

7/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"The war had doubled the cost of food, making life even harder for the poor." Jacob Lawrence

8/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"Railroad stations were so crowed with migrants that guards were called in to keep order." Jacob Lawrence

9/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"The flood of migrants Northward left crops back home dry and spoil." Jacob Lawrence

10/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) – part I
"For African-Americans the South was barren in many ways. There was no justice for them in courts, and their lives were often in danger. Jacob Lawrence

11/51

5

close

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"For African-Americans the South was barren in many ways. There was no justice for them in courts, and their lives were often in danger. Jacob Lawrence

12/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



“Although slavery had long been abolished, white landowners treated the black tenant farmers harshly and unfairly." Jacob Lawrence

13/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Although slavery had long been abolished, white landowners treated the black tenant farmers harshly and unfairly." Jacob Lawrence

14/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part I
"And so the migration grew." Jacob Lawrence

15/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part II
"Segregation divided the South." Jacob Lawrence

16/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"The black newspapers told of better housing and jobs in the North." Jacob Lawrence

17/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Families would arrive very early at railroad stations to make sure they could get on the Northbound trains." Jacob Lawrence

18/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Early arrival was not easy, because African-Americans found on the streets could be arrested for no reason." Jacob Lawrence

19/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part II
"And the migrants kept coming." Jacob Lawrence

20/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part II
"In the South there was little opportunity for education, and children labored in the fields." Jacob Lawrence

21/51

The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part II

"These were more reasons for people to move North, leaving some communities deserted.“

Jacob Lawrence

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

22/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part II
"There was much excitement and discussion about the great migration." Jacob Lawrence

23/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part II
"Agents from Northern factories flocked into Southern counties and towns, looking for laborers." Jacob Lawrence

24/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Agents from Northern factories flocked into Southern counties and towns, looking for laborers." Jacob Lawrence
close

25/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Families often gathered to discuss whether to go North or to stay South." Jacob Lawrence
close

26/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"The promise of better housing in the North could not be ignored." Jacob Lawrence
close

27/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part III
"The railroad stations were crowded with migrants." Jacob Lawrence

28/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


The First Wave of the Great Migration (1916-1919) - part III
"Letters from relatives in the North and articles in the black press protrayed a better life outside the South." Jacob Lawrence
close

29/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15


"Many migrants arrived in Chicago." Jacob Lawrence

30/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"In Chicago and other cities they labored in the steel mills..." Jacob Lawrence
close

31/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"and on the railroads." Jacob Lawrence

32/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"And the migrants kept coming." Jacob Lawrence

33/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"And the migrants kept coming." Jacob Lawrence

34/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Southern landowners, stripped of cheap labor, tried to stop the migration by jailing the labor agents and the migrants." Jacob Lawrence

35/51

"Sometimes the agents disguised themselves to avoid arrest, but the migrants were often taken from railroad stations and jailed until the trains departed.“

Jacob Lawrence

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

36/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Black and white Southern leaders met to discuss ways to improve conditions to stop the flow of workers North." Jacob Lawrence

37/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Although life in the North was better, it was not ideal." Jacob Lawrence

38/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Many migrants moved to Pittsburgh, which was a great industrial center at the time.“ Jacob Lawrence

39/51

"Although they were promised better housing in the North, some families were forced to live in overcrowded and unhealthy quarters.“

Jacob Lawrence

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

40/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Although they were promised better housing in the North, some families were forced to live in overcrowded and unhealthy quarters." Jacob Lawrence

41/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"The migrants soon learned that segregation was not confined to the South." Jacob Lawrence

42/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Many Northern workers were angry because they had to compete with the migrants for housing and jobs. There were riots." Jacob Lawrence

43/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Many Northern workers were angry because they had to compete with the migrants for housing and jobs. There were riots." Jacob Lawrence

44/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Many Northern workers were angry because they had to compete with the migrants for housing and jobs. There were riots." Jacob Lawrence

45/51

"Longtime African-American residents living in the North did not welcome the newcomers from the South and often treated them with disdain.“

Jacob Lawrence

46/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"The migrants had to rely on each other. The storefront church was a welcoming place and the center of their lives, in joy and in sorrow.“ Jacob Lawrence

47/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Black professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, soon followed their patients and clients North." Jacob Lawrence

48/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Female workers were among the last to leave.“ Jacob Lawrence

49/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Life in the North brought many challenges, but the migrants' lives had changed for the better. The children were able to go to school, and their parents gained the freedom to vote.“ Jacob Lawrence

50/51

5



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"Life in the North brought many challenges, but the migrants' lives had changed for the better. The children were able to go to school, and their parents gained the freedom to vote.“ Jacob Lawrence

51/51

5

Migration

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15



"And the migrants kept coming.“ Jacob Lawrence