The Great Migration Pronunciation: /ðə ɡreɪt maɪˈɡreɪ.ʃən/ (thuh GRAYT my-GRAY-shuhn) Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: A large-scale movement of over six million Black Americans from the South to Northern, Midwestern, and Western cities between 1916 and 1970. People migrated seeking jobs, escaping Jim Crow laws, racial violence, and limited opportunities. The Great Migration transformed Black communities and culture in cities across the U.S. This migration added the finishing touches to our accelerated ethnogenesis, forging new identities and unity in diverse urban environments.
Example: The Great Migration helped create vibrant Black neighborhoods in Chicago, Detroit, and New York, driving new cultural expressions.