Great Migration Overview

Study Notes

Great Migration

Movement of African Americans from rural Southern U.S. to urban Northeast, Midwest, and West from 1910 to the 1970s.
First Great Migration (1910-1930) saw around 1.6 million migrants seeking better opportunities due to segregation, violence, and lack of jobs.
Influx led to competition for housing and jobs, often causing tension with European immigrants.

Scottsboro Case

In 1931, nine African-American teenagers, known as the Scottsboro Boys, were falsely accused of raping two white women in Alabama.
No medical evidence supported the claims; despite this, they were convicted, prompting international protests.
The case highlighted systemic racism in the American legal system and contributed to discussions about fair trial rights.

Red Scare

Sparked by fear of communism taking hold in America post-Bolshevik Revolution in Russia; pervasive anti-communist sentiment emerged in 1919.
Triggered by anarchist bombings, leading to widespread panic about socialists, anarchists, and immigrants.
Resulted in actions like the Palmer Raids and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, along with anti-foreigner legislation.

Attorney General Palmer/Palmer Raids

Series of raids conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at capturing and deporting radical leftists and anarchists.
Occurred under Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer in November 1919 and January 1920.

Sacco and Vanzetti

Italian anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were wrongfully convicted of a robbery and murder in South Braintree, Massachusetts, in 1920.
Executed in 1927 despite a lack of substantial evidence, their case reflected racial and xenophobic biases in the U.S. justice system.

Sheppard-Towner Act

Enacted in 1921 to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates by providing federal funding for maternity and childcare.
Encouraged states to create programs aimed at assisting lower-income women with healthcare services.

Lost Generation

The term describes a group of American writers who came of age during World War I and critiqued postwar American values.
Originated from Gertrude Stein’s comment to Ernest Hemingway, indicating a sense of disillusionment and spiritual alienation among this generation.

Harlem Renaissance

Cultural, social, and artistic explosion in Harlem between World War I and the mid-1930s, fostering a vibrant black cultural identity.
Featured contributions from black writers, artists, musicians, and intellectuals, promoting pride and addressing themes of race and identity.

National Origins Act

A key component of the Immigration Act of 1924, establishing a restrictive quota system for immigrants based on their country of origin.
Discriminated against southern and eastern European immigrants and effectively excluded Asian immigrants; this act was repealed in 1965.

The New Klan

The resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s expanded its focus beyond African Americans to include targeting Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.
The Klan promoted fundamentalism, strong nationalism, and white supremacy as part of its platform for social influence.

Description

Explore the Great Migration, focusing on the movement of African Americans from the rural South to industrial cities in the North and West between 1910 and the 1970s. This flashcard quiz delves into the causes and consequences of this significant demographic shift in American history.