During Episode 27 with Lamont Pearley who spoke to us about the origin of Blues music, he mentioned “The Great Migration.” And my mind went blank. It’s possible that we covered this topic during high school history and I wasn’t paying close enough attention, but it was a term, I found unfamiliar. I was struck by my ignorance as it was clearly an important historical event affecting approximately 6 million black people; the largest migration of any group of people in American history.
The Great Black Migration was a massive demographic shift in America starting in about 1910 and ending in 1970. This mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North and West was driven by a multitude of factors including the Jim Crow Laws, Economic factors, and labor changes. It resulted in profound and lasting impacts on the entirety of American society and Blues Music. In this article we explore the causes and consequences of the Great Black Migration, both negative and positive, with a particular focus on its influence on folklore, tradition, and culture.
“So the Great Migration is the movement of what is considered Black Folk, from the South to the Northeast, the Midwest and the Northwest and Southwest. It happens in stages. It happened in the 1800s then it happened again starting roughly between 1910 and 1914 and then late 30s early 40s and then what’s considered the last migration is the 1970’s. ”
Lamont Pearley Episode 27
Causes of the Great Black Migration
- Escape from Jim Crow Laws:
- African Americans faced oppressive Jim Crow laws in the South, including segregation, voter suppression, and economic inequality. Many sought refuge in the North and West, where they hoped to find greater freedom and opportunity.
- Economic Prospects:
- The mechanization of agriculture in the South reduced the need for labor, pushing many African Americans off farms. Northern industries offered better-paying jobs, drawing them to cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York.
- World War I and World War II:
- The demand for labor during both world wars led to an increased migration of African Americans to industrial centers for wartime production.
- The Harlem Renaissance:
- The cultural and artistic movement known as the Harlem Renaissance, centered in New York City, attracted many African American artists, musicians, and intellectuals, further fueling migration to urban areas.
Impacts of the Great Black Migration
Negative Impacts:
- Urban Challenges:
- African Americans encountered overcrowded, segregated neighborhoods and limited access to quality education, healthcare, and housing in northern cities.
- Racial Tensions:
- As the African American population in northern cities grew, racial tensions sometimes flared into violence, such as the 1919 Chicago race riots.
- Loss of Connection to Rural Roots:
- The migration resulted in a disconnection from rural traditions, ancestral lands, and the communal bonds of Southern communities.
“We’re seeing a reverse migration of the last 10 years where a lot of these black folks that like myself, our lineage starts in the south, and then we traveled these places, are coming back to the South, reclaiming what was once our land and things of that nature.”
Lamont Pearley Episode 27
Positive Impacts:
- Economic Opportunities:
- African Americans in the North found better-paying jobs, which improved their economic prospects and allowed for a higher standard of living.
- Political Empowerment:
- In urban centers, African Americans had more opportunities to engage in political activism and influence the civil rights movement.
- Cultural Renaissance:
- The Great Migration fostered a flourishing of African American culture, including music, literature, and art. Iconic figures like Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Duke Ellington emerged during this period.
Influence on Folklore, Tradition, and Culture
- Music:
- The migration played a pivotal role in the evolution of jazz, blues, and gospel music. Cities like Chicago and New Orleans became hubs for musical innovation, shaping American popular culture.
- The migration played a pivotal role in the evolution of electric blues. With the advent of amplified instruments, blues musicians in urban settings could create a louder, more electrified sound.
- In the urban centers of the North, blues musicians found larger and more diverse audiences. They also had greater access to recording studios, radio broadcasts, and clubs, which allowed them to reach a wider audience and gain recognition. Cities like Chicago became hubs for blues musicians, fostering a competitive and thriving music scene.
- In the urban North, African Americans from various regions mixed, leading to a fusion of different regional blues styles. This fusion resulted in a broader and more diverse range of blues music, as musicians incorporated elements of Delta blues, Chicago blues, and more.
- Literature:
- Writers like Richard Wright, James Baldwin, and Ralph Ellison drew upon their migration experiences to produce influential works that explored racial identity, discrimination, and urban life.
- Art:
- The migration inspired visual artists like Jacob Lawrence, who created the “Migration Series,” a collection of paintings depicting the journey of African Americans from the South to the North.
- Food and Cuisine:
- The culinary traditions of the South blended with northern influences, leading to the development of soul food and other distinct regional cuisines.
The Great Black Migration was one of the largest movements of people in United States history, with both challenges and opportunities. African Americans sought refuge from the harsh conditions of the Jim Crow South, and their migration reshaped the cultural landscape of the nation. The legacy of the Great Migration endures in the rich tapestry of African American folklore, tradition, Blues Music and culture, which continues to shape American society to this day.
Citations:
- Wilkerson, Isabel. “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration.” Random House, 2010.
- Lemann, Nicholas. “The Promised Land: The Great Black Migration and How It Changed America.” Vintage, 1992.
- Harris, Trudier, and Thadious M. Davis, editors. “The Oxford Companion to African American Literature.” Oxford University Press, 1997.