Great Migration Research Paper

The desire for an improved quality of life is necessary for the progress of humankind. This was evident in the Great Migration of African Americans, in which over six million African Americans in the southern states moved north between 1915-1970, with the hopes of gaining economic stability, relief from harsh racial restrictions, and overall better living conditions. As African Americans moved north, so did their influence, and cities affected by the Great Migration began to be shaped, in all aspects, by black culture. While African Americans reaped benefits from being in the North, racial discrimination also brought many hardships. African American’s exploration of new opportunities during the Great Migration led to encounters with injustice …show more content…
For example, while slavery was never quite as intense in the North as it was in the South, racial prejudice still existed there decades after it was abolished. “In northern and Midwestern cities, the arrival of southern immigrants deepened existing racial tensions". Segregation, restrictions on living space, and harsh working conditions were some components of racial injustices in the North. With a large influx of African Americans, white people felt threatened and possessive over the society that was already established. They didn’t want to compete with black people. Next, going along with racial injustices were violent attacks toward black people. “The riots of 1917 in East St. Louis, Illinois … were among the most destructive in the wave of racial violence that swept across the country during and after World War I”. During race riots, large outbreaks of racial violence would result in numerous deaths and injuries. Motivations toward race riots were the ideas and beliefs that white people were superior to black people, which stem far back to colonial times. However, these beliefs were still strong in America. Third of all, while many whites treated black people harshly, others did empathize them and did not carry the same prejudiced beliefs. “I have always known that the negro has been unjustly and unfairly dealt with …”. While some whites were empathetic toward blacks, they still …show more content…
For example, many migrants struggled in the north financially, and also socially due to racial discrimination. As a result, black people teamed up and worked together in order to help fellow migrants survive. Several organizations were founded to aid migrants, and, more generally, uplift the black community from the inside”. By working together and aiding other African Americans, trust and care was created. This trust and care was the foundation for which strong black communities were established. Second, life in the north was made complicated due to competition for living space and the reluctance of white tenants to provide black people with property. “As a result of housing tensions, many blacks ended up creating their own cities within big cities, fostering the growth of new urban African-American culture”. Many new communities formed, so that black people did not need to rely so much on white people for survival. These communities flourished on their own. Also, the large density of black people in these new cities allowed for the facilitation of black culture and allowed it to grow and spread. Next, black communities provided their people with stability and resources for help their lives and well-beings. “The church was the cornerstone of the community, providing not only guidance, but also relief”. The church aided black communities and maintained their strength. The