Push and Pull Factors
Better job opportunities in Northern factories
Pull Factor
What was the Great Migration?
The movement of African Americans from the rural South to Northern cities.
What year did the Chicago Race Riot occur?
1919
True or False: African Americans faced no racism in the North.
False
What was the Harlem Renaissance?
A cultural movement celebrating Black art, music, and literature in the 1920s.
Segregation laws (Jim Crow) in the South
Push
During what time period did the Great Migration mainly take place?
Roughly 1910–1970 (first wave during WWI, second wave after WWII).
What event sparked the Chicago Race Riot?
The drowning of a Black teenager (Eugene Williams) who drifted into a whites-only beach.
What were African Americans often not allowed to do because of housing discrimination?
Live in certain neighborhoods.
In what city and neighborhood did it mainly take place?
Harlem, New York City.
Racial violence in the South
Push
Name one major Northern city that many African Americans moved to.
Chicago, New York, Detroit, or Philadelphia.
How long did the riot last?
About one week (July 27–August 3, 1919).
What kind of jobs were most available to African Americans in the North?
Low-paying, unskilled factory or service jobs.
What kinds of art and culture became popular during this time?
Music, poetry, writing, and painting.
Access to better schools and education for children
Pull
What were African Americans looking for when they moved North?
Better jobs, better education, and less racial violence.
About how many people were killed during the riot?
Around 38 people (23 Black, 15 white).
What was one example of segregation African Americans faced in Northern cities?
Segregated schools, neighborhoods, or limited access to certain businesses.
How did the Harlem Renaissance make African Americans feel about their culture?
It gave them pride and confidence in who they were.
Give one specific example of a push and a pull factor that caused African Americans to leave the South during the Great Migration.
Misc.
How did the Great Migration change the culture and demographics of Northern cities?
It increased Black populations, influenced music, politics, and led to new Black communities and cultural movements (like Harlem Renaissance).
What larger national trend was the Chicago Riot part of in 1919?
The “Red Summer” — widespread racial violence across the U.S. that year.
How did discrimination in the North differ from that in the South?
It was less legally enforced but still widespread through social and economic barriers.
Why was the Harlem Renaissance important for African Americans?
It showed pride in Black culture and helped change how people viewed African Americans.