The Black Exodus: And the Rise of the Harlem Renaissance 1920 to 1941

I. The “Black Exodus” or the “Great Migration” A.There were three Phases of the Black Exodus or Great Migration 1. First Phase was the "Black Exodus" to Kansas and Oklahoma in 1879 fueled by: to Kansas and Oklahoma in 1879 fueled by: a. Lynching and racial violence b. The opening up of the West (OK, KA, CA) c. Black nationalism or “Back to Africa” movement

2. Second Phase or “Great Migration” 1914 to 1929 fueled by: a. The war industries of World War I provide jobs b. The Harlem Renaissance of 1920s draws blacks

3. Third Phase “Great Migration Continues” 1929 to 1945: a. “Great Depression” led to increase in black migration blacks leaving in search of jobs b. New Deal policies force Black Share Croppers and tenant farmers off the land c. The war industries of World War II provide jobs

The Harlem Renaissance 1914 to 1935 The Harlem Renaissance 1914 to 1935

The Harlem Renaissance I. The rise and fall of the Harlem Renaissance A. Marcus Garvey was the Father of Harlem Renaissance 1. Created an international organization for people of African descent which included people from a. The United States b. Canada c. The Caribbean d. Central and South America e. Africa f. Europe

2. He preached a message of racial pride and created a love for anything and everything African 3. The Harlem Race Riot of 1935 signaled the end of the Harlem Renaissance along with a. Integration in the 1950’s b. Urban Renewal in the 1960’s II. Location of Harlem Renaissance A. The Harlem Renaissance was based in Harlem, New York but similar communities arose throughout the York but similar communities arose throughout the U.S in Northeast cities including: U.S in Northeast cities including: 1. New York 2. Philadelphia 3. Pittsburgh 4. Baltimore 5. Washington D.C.

B. In the South it included the Cities of 1. Atlanta 2. Durham 3. Norfolk 4. New Orleans 5. Charleston C. In the Midwest included the cities of: 1. Detroit 2. Cleveland 3. Cincinnati 4. Chicago 5. St. Louis 6. Milwaukee D. In the West included the cities of: 1. Los Angeles 2. Oakland 3. Seattle 4. Portland

III. Components of Harlem Renaissance A. Beautiful Art B. Music C. Dance D. Literature E. History “Black History Week” F. Films “Race Films”

A. Historians 1. Carter G. Woodson 2. W.E.B. Du Bois 3. John Hope Franklin B. Writers and Poets 1. James Weldon Johnson 2. Claude McKay 3. Zora Neal Hurston 4. T. Thomas Fortune 5. Countee Cullen 6. Walter White 7. Jean Toomer 8. Langston Hughes (the “Shakespeare of Harlem”) IV. Leading Scholars, musicians, writers, poets, and artists C. Musicians and Dancers 1. W.C. Handy 2. Cab Calloway 3. Louis Armstrong 4. Josephine Baker

III. The Great Depression A. Great Depression led to increase in black migration as many Poor blacks turned North for help B. In most cases urban Blacks were in a worse state than rural blacks C. Poor blacks migrating North and West only aggravated an already stressed social system developed to assist impoverished blacks D. New Deal programs introduced by Roosevelt helped but also increased migration as land owners force blacks off the land E. Conditions began to improve in 1938 when war broke out in Europe WWII and jobs opened in the War industries

IV. World War II’s Impact on Black Migration 1938 to 1950 A. Blacks encouraged to move North and West by job openings in the war industries B. Millions of Blacks left the South C. Black migration accelerated after Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941 D. white male factory works were needed for military service, opening up even more jobs for black men and women E. Black males were also needed for military service

II. The Great Depression and Black Labor in the South A. In the South most Blacks worked as sharecroppers or tenant farmers and organized sharecroppers or tenant farmers and organized segregated "Tenant Farmers unions" segregated "Tenant Farmers unions" a. these blacks were over charged for rents, farm implements, and supplies, by southern merchants and land owners.

b. These blacks often paid a half or a quarter of what their crops were worth at harvesting time. c.These blacks were discriminated against by the agricultural policies of the New Deal which paid agricultural policies of the New Deal which paid land owners not to farm throwing many out of work. land owners not to farm throwing many out of work. d. Southern states also passed laws that benefited white land owners but hurt both poor whites and blacks.

B. Domestics and other unskilled laborers, who were almost entirely Black were not allowed to organize labor unions in the south C. Blacks not allowed to work in Southern textiles and tobacco industries. These high paying jobs were for whites only III. The white response to the challenges of Black labor 1929 to to A. In the North 1. White workers refused to allow blacks to join white Unions

2. White business owners sought cheaper immigrant labor sources from southern Europe 3. White business leaders turned white union workers against blacks by using blacks as strike breakers B. In the South 1. To prevent the establishment of tenant farmers unions southern white elites attempted to divide poor whites from blacks by pointing to the threat of "Negro Rule"

2. When this failed land owners turned to violence a. black and white farmers who supported the tenants farmers union were beaten, burned out, and murdered 3. Land owners also forced many farmers off their land these Blacks joined the millions of blacks and whites in the Great Migration to northern and western cities