Question

Between 1916 and 1918, an average of 500 African Americans left the South and headed to the North each day. This was part of a decades-long exodus known as the Great Migration.

In one to two sentences each, respond to the following questions.

- What reasons did African Americans have for wanting to leave the South?
- What factors brought African Americans to the North?
- Did African Americans who moved to Northern cities during the Great Migration find what they were looking for? Why? Why not?

Answer 1

1) They weren't treated like humans, but more as a commodity, something that can be used and abused without care. In the North, people were against slavery and working to end it, so naturally, you'd go somewhere safer, where you're actually seen as a human being with feelings and unalienable rights.

2) As stated above, the North saw them as humans, offered them rights, jobs, etc. Life in the North was like other people's concept of the American dream.

3) I believe they did, they found rights and jobs, they were seen as people and not something to be sold, like a pet.