Final answer:
The first wave of the Great Migration between 1916 and 1919 saw African Americans moving from the South to Northern cities for better job opportunities and to escape racial injustice. This movement coincided with industrial labor demands during World War I.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first wave of the Great Migration occurred between 1916 and 1919, during the time of the Great War or World War I. This period marks a significant demographic shift where approximately half a million African Americans moved from the rural Southern states to urban areas in the Northeast, Midwest, and West.
There were several reasons for this movement, including the pursuit of better employment opportunities caused by industrial labor shortages during the war, as well as the desire to escape the oppressive Jim Crow laws and racial injustices prevalent in the South.
The Northern factories had a high demand for workers due to the war efforts, and these jobs offered wages substantially higher than what African Americans could earn in the South. Moreover, the migration was a chance to find freedom and a better life away from the segregation and violence in the South.
Cities like Chicago, New York, and Detroit saw significant growth in their African American populations during this period, leading to consequential cultural and demographic changes that shaped the future of American society.