Question

What were the cities Blacks migrated to from the Old South? What were the jobs held by Black men and women?

a) Blacks migrated to cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York, working in factories and as domestic labor.
b) Blacks moved to San Francisco, Denver, and Boston, finding employment in agriculture and farming.
c) Blacks relocated to Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix, taking up roles in the tech industry.
d) Blacks migrated to rural areas in the Midwest, primarily working in agriculture and fishing.

Answer 1

African Americans migrated to cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York during the Great Migration, finding work in factories, construction, and domestic service while seeking to escape the conditions of the South. Discrimination limited them to lower-paying jobs, but they had some economic improvement and wider societal impacts. Option a) is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the period known as the Great Migration, many African Americans left the old South to seek new opportunities in the urban North and Midwest. Primary destinations included cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York, where they pursued a variety of jobs. Despite facing discrimination, African American men found employment in industries such as steel mills, mines, construction, and meatpacking, often in unskilled or semi-skilled roles. Many African American women found domestic work as maids and domestic servants, though a few secured jobs in garment factories and laundries.

The migration was driven both by the 'push' of oppressive conditions in the South and the 'pull' of improved job opportunities and the chance to vote in northern cities. While better-paying manufacturing jobs were available during wartime, many African Americans were relegated to the lowest-paid factory jobs and continued to face the challenge of inequality post-war.

The impact of the Great Migration is still evident in the present-day distribution of African Americans across various parts of the United States, shifting the demographics and contributing to the economic landscape of these urban areas throughout the 20th century.