Welcome Bronzeville Tours Treasure Hunt The Great Migration Natives & Newcomers North or South? Voices & Choices Pictorial Activities
THE GREAT MIGRATION--North or South?
Each person in your group needs a copy of this page.
Situation
Mostly in the North
Mostly in the South
About the Same in Both North and South
Agricultural Depression (Low Prices for Farm Crops)
.
. X
.
Floods 
.
X
.
Boll Weevils
.
 X 
.
Excluded from good jobs.
.
. 
 X
Literacy Tests
.
.X
.
Poll Taxes
.
.X
.
Grandfather Clauses
.
.X
.
Hostility & Violence
.
.
.X
Paid More Money for Jobs.
.X
.
.
More Jobs Available
.X
.
.
Better Education
.X
.
.
Safer
.X
.
.
Greater Opportunity to Improve Lives
.X
..
.
Discuss these with your group and answer each one.
1.  Pretend that you are an African American living with your family in the south.  What reasons or information that you listed in the table might make you want to move to the north. (Student answers will vary)

Students should reflect upon the hostility and violence that was believed to not exist in the north.  Other reasons include, hope for jobs, better education and the opportunity to improve life for their families.

2.  Not all African Americans moved north.  What reasons might they have had for not moving? (These reasons may not have been listed in your table.) (Student answers will vary)

Students might remember that some African Americans were able to obtain fair employers as sharecroppers.  Family and friends lived in the south.  Some may have been afraid to move north.  In the north, the black migrate still faced discrimination and segregation.  Southern black migrates found themselves stuck in ghettos marred with crime, violence, poor housing and unsanitary conditions.