1910–1970

The Great Migration

The mass movement of approximately 6 million Black Americans from the rural South to cities in the North, Midwest, and West, transforming American demographics, culture, and politics.

View Teaching Bundle →
Historical image from the The Great Migration era
Mass demographic shift
Escape from racial terror
Urban community building
Cultural transformation
Northern challenges

What Was the The Great Migration?

The mass movement of approximately 6 million Black Americans from the rural South to cities in the North, Midwest, and West, transforming American demographics, culture, and politics.

Between 1910 and 1970, approximately 6 million Black Americans made one of the biggest moves in American history. They left the rural South — where Jim Crow laws, racial violence, and poverty made life dangerous and unfair — and traveled to cities in the North, Midwest, and West in search of safety, freedom, and better jobs. This massive movement is called the Great Migration. It happened in two waves: the first during World War I when Northern factories needed workers, and a second, even larger wave during and after World War II. When migrants arrived in cities like Chicago, New York, Detroit, and Los Angeles, they built vibrant neighborhoods filled with churches, businesses, music clubs, and newspapers. They also brought Southern traditions — especially jazz, blues, and gospel music — that transformed American culture forever. The Great Migration wasn't just a move across the map. It changed who lived where in America and gave Black citizens the political power to help win civil rights for all.

Key Events

1905
Chicago Defender Founded
Robert Abbott creates the newspaper that will inspire millions to leave the South for the North.
1910
First Wave Begins
Black families start leaving the rural South in large numbers, driven by Jim Crow and boll weevil crop damage.
1917
East St. Louis Massacre
A white mob attacks the Black community in East St. Louis, Illinois, killing dozens of residents.
1919
Red Summer Violence
Race riots erupt in over 25 cities, including Chicago, where 38 people are killed in a week.
1922
Jazz Travels North
Louis Armstrong moves from New Orleans to Chicago, helping spread jazz music across America.
1940
Second Wave Begins
World War II creates a second, even larger surge of migration to Northern and Western cities.
1941
Migration Painted in Art
Jacob Lawrence, age 23, completes 60 paintings telling the story of the Great Migration.
1970
Migration Slows Down
Civil Rights gains change the South, and many Black Americans begin moving back in a reverse migration.

Did You Know?

💡

A Newspaper Started It All

The Chicago Defender newspaper encouraged Black Southerners to move North. Pullman train porters secretly distributed copies throughout the South, spreading the word about opportunities.

💡

Six Million People Moved

Approximately 6 million Black Americans left the South between 1910 and 1970 — one of the largest internal migrations in the history of any country.

💡

Not Just to New York and Chicago

During the second wave (1940–1970), many migrants headed West to cities like Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, and Seattle — not just to the Northeast and Midwest.

💡

A 23-Year-Old Told the Story

In 1941, artist Jacob Lawrence completed 'The Migration Series' — 60 paintings that remain the most famous artistic depiction of the Great Migration. He was just 23 years old.

💡

The Music Moved Too

When Black Southerners moved North, they brought their music with them. Blues from Mississippi became Chicago blues. New Orleans jazz became the soundtrack of New York's Harlem. These sounds changed American music forever.

Historical Images

Primary sources from the The Great Migration era

Rapp Road Community Historic District, Rapp Road, Albany, Albany County, NY

Rapp Road Community Historic District, Rapp Road, Albany, Albany County, NY

Source: Library of Congress No known restrictions (LOC)

Seventeenth annual conference - N.A.A.C.P., Chicago, Illinois, June 23-29, 1926

Seventeenth annual conference - N.A.A.C.P., Chicago, Illinois, June 23-29, 1926

Source: Library of Congress No known restrictions (LOC)

[African American men in the lobby of the "Chicago colored Y.M.C.A."]

[African American men in the lobby of the "Chicago colored Y.M.C.A."]

Source: Library of Congress No known restrictions (LOC)

[Rowhouses along a street in Harlem, New York City]

[Rowhouses along a street in Harlem, New York City]

Source: Library of Congress No known restrictions (LOC)

Stanley Guy, a New York actor, looks over shirts for sale outside the famous Apollo Theater in the Harlem neighborhood of upper Manhattan borough, one of five such county-like political jurisdictions in sprawling New York City

Stanley Guy, a New York actor, looks over shirts for sale outside the famous Apollo Theater in the Harlem neighborhood of upper Manhattan borough, one of five such county-like political jurisdictions in sprawling New York City

Source: Library of Congress No known restrictions (LOC)

Key Figures of The Great Migration

The people who shaped this era.

Portrait of Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells

1862–1931

Fearless journalist and activist who led a national crusade against lynching and co-founded the NAACP.

View Bundle →
Portrait of Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

1919–1972

Broke baseball's color barrier in 1947 as the first Black player in Major League Baseball, paving the way for integration in sports.

View Bundle →

Want to teach this era? We've done the work for you.

The Great Migration Complete Teaching Bundle

📖

Lesson Plan

Comprehensive lesson plan covering the full era with learning objectives, activities, and assessment.

Grades 4–8 · 1910–1970

📝

Student Workbook

Interactive workbook with reading passages, timeline activities, primary source analysis, and a quiz.

Grades 4–8 · 12 Sections

🃏

Flashcard Set

40 cards covering vocabulary, key facts, events, important people, and review challenges.

Grades 4–8 · 40 Cards

$14.99
Coming Soon

Instant digital download · Printable PDF · Grades 4–8 · Verified accurate

Here's a peek inside...

📖 Lesson Plan

The Great Migration | Lesson Plan
Black History Guides
SAMPLE
Learning Objectives
1
Identify at least 5 key events of The Great Migration and explain their significance.
2
Define and use vocabulary related to the era in context.
3
Analyze a primary source and draw meaning from its historical context.
Essential Question
"What forces shaped this era, and how do they still affect us today?"
Key Themes
Mass demographic shift Escape from racial terror Urban community building Cultural transformation Northern challenges
Black History Guides
Page 1 of 8

📝 Student Workbook

The Great Migration | Student Workbook
Black History Guides
SAMPLE
Reading Comprehension

Read the passage about The Great Migration and answer the questions below.

Questions
1
What were the key events that defined this era?
2
Why is this era important in American history?
Timeline Activity
Put these events in chronological order
________________________________
________________________________
Black History Guides
Page 3 of 18

🃏 Flashcard Set - Click to Flip!

Key Event · Card 5 of 40
1905: Chicago Defender Founded
Answer
Robert Abbott creates the newspaper that will inspire millions to leave the South for the North.

Click the card to flip it

Get a Free Sample

Try before you buy! Enter your email to receive a free sampler with flashcards, activities, and a lesson plan excerpt. No spam, just history.

Instant delivery. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Go Deeper: Individual Figure Bundles

Each figure from this era has their own complete teaching bundle.

📚

Ida B. Wells

Complete teaching bundle: lesson plan, workbook, and 40-card flashcard set.

View Bundle →
📚

Jackie Robinson

Complete teaching bundle: lesson plan, workbook, and 40-card flashcard set.

View Bundle →

Frequently Asked Questions

Each bundle lists a suggested grade range, but those are just starting points, not limits. Every child learns at their own pace, and we believe no kid should be held back from knowledge they're ready for. Parents and teachers know their students best, so we encourage you to teach at whatever level fits your learner.
The bundle includes three digital PDF products: a comprehensive lesson plan with learning objectives, activities, and assessments focused on the era as a whole; a 12-section student workbook with reading passages, timeline activities, primary source analysis, and a quiz; and a 40-card flashcard set covering vocabulary, key facts, events, important people, and review challenges.
Yes. All content is researched and verified through our 4-layer editorial process. Sources include the Library of Congress, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and Encyclopaedia Britannica. Every factual claim is independently verified before publishing.
Absolutely. The workbook is self-contained and works equally well for classroom instruction and homeschooling. It includes a reading passage, guided activities, and a completion certificate. Everything you need for an independent learning session.