The Migration North

De Medeiros, James. The Migration North. Part of the African American History series. 2009. 48p. ISBN 978-1-59036-880-0. Available at 304.8 DE on the library shelves.

The end of the Civil War did not bring an end to the suffering and the intolerance that gripped the Southern States. Instead, it was replaced by Jim Crow and segregation. African-Americans who wanted a better life began leaving the South and migrated northward, to states like Illinois and Michigan where jobs were plentiful and discrimination was not as entrenched.

This migration occurred in two distinct phases, with African-Americans moving north before the Great Depression, then again following the end of the Second World War. The NAACP and African American publications out of Chicago were responsible for publicizing the opportunities available in the North. Integration of the troops during the Second World War set the stage for the eventual growth of the Civil Rights movement.

This short books provides an excellent overview of this lesser-known topic to readers who enjoy history and civil rights.