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Black America: Black America: Early 20th Century Urban Migration Early 20th Century Urban Migration

and Civil Rights Initiativesand Civil Rights Initiatives

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Exoduster MovementExoduster Movement The Exoduster Movement, beginning in 1877, was the first grass-roots The Exoduster Movement, beginning in 1877, was the first grass-roots

movement out of the South, during which, between 40,000 and 70,000 movement out of the South, during which, between 40,000 and 70,000 former slaves departed the South, primarily for Kansas. former slaves departed the South, primarily for Kansas.

Benjamin Singleton was the official leader of the Exoduster Movement. Benjamin Singleton was the official leader of the Exoduster Movement. Originally encouraging his compatriots to acquire land in Tennessee, he Originally encouraging his compatriots to acquire land in Tennessee, he

found that whites would not sell fruitful land to them. found that whites would not sell fruitful land to them.

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Singleton and his Singleton and his associates founded the associates founded the Edgefield Real Estate and Edgefield Real Estate and Homestead Association Homestead Association directing over 20,000 directing over 20,000 migrants to Kansas in two migrants to Kansas in two years. years.

In 1879, Exodusters began In 1879, Exodusters began to arrive in Nebraska and to arrive in Nebraska and within a few years spread within a few years spread out to homestead out to homestead throughout the Great Plains. throughout the Great Plains.

Although multiple Although multiple communities were formed, communities were formed, the new settlers were the new settlers were inclined to settle in the more inclined to settle in the more open areas where more open areas where more land was available for land was available for Homesteading.Homesteading.

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HomesteadersHomesteaders The African-American The African-American

experience as a experience as a Homesteader was very Homesteader was very similar to that of white similar to that of white Homesteaders. Homesteaders.

The Homestead Act of The Homestead Act of 1862 further opened the 1862 further opened the West to hard-working West to hard-working Americans, allowing Americans, allowing essentially free land on essentially free land on the condition that the condition that improvements be made improvements be made upon it for a period of upon it for a period of no less than ten years. no less than ten years.

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Nicodemus, KSNicodemus, KS Many Black Townships Many Black Townships

were established as a result were established as a result of the Exodusters of the Exodusters Movement. Movement.

The town of Nicodemus, KS The town of Nicodemus, KS is the most well known, is the most well known, most successful, and only most successful, and only remaining planned remaining planned community devoted to community devoted to African-American African-American settlement. settlement.

At its peak in 1880, the At its peak in 1880, the population of Nicodemus population of Nicodemus was around 600. was around 600.

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It was founded in 1877 by a It was founded in 1877 by a white town planner and an white town planner and an African-American minister African-American minister and populated primarily by and populated primarily by freed slaves from Kentucky. freed slaves from Kentucky.

The harsh living conditions The harsh living conditions and climate were difficult to and climate were difficult to adjust to, but after a short adjust to, but after a short time the settlement grew to time the settlement grew to include two newspapers, include two newspapers, three general stores, at three general stores, at least three churches, a least three churches, a number of small hotels, one number of small hotels, one school, literary society, ice school, literary society, ice cream parlor, a bank, a cream parlor, a bank, a livery, numerous homes livery, numerous homes and more. and more.

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The Great MigrationThe Great Migration Not all African-Americans Not all African-Americans

who left the South did so who left the South did so in pursuit of more rural in pursuit of more rural living. living.

In fact, an overwhelming In fact, an overwhelming majority left for the cities. majority left for the cities. Although not highly Although not highly organized like the organized like the Exoduster Movement.Exoduster Movement.

The Great Migration The Great Migration drew roughly a million drew roughly a million African-Americans from African-Americans from the rural South to the the rural South to the cities in the North cities in the North between 1915 and 1920 between 1915 and 1920

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The term is generally The term is generally applied to the continued applied to the continued movement of African movement of African Americans out of the South Americans out of the South following the Civil War until following the Civil War until the 1970's. the 1970's.

Not only did former slaves Not only did former slaves escape the terrible escape the terrible economic situation economic situation combined with being stuck combined with being stuck as sharecroppers and the as sharecroppers and the threat of lynchings, but also threat of lynchings, but also they were drawn to the they were drawn to the better pay, a higher better pay, a higher standard of living, and standard of living, and improved political rights in improved political rights in the cities of the North. the cities of the North.

The Great Migration can be The Great Migration can be directly linked to what is directly linked to what is regarded today as African-regarded today as African-American culture. American culture.

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Graphing the Great MigrationGraphing the Great Migration

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To the CitiesTo the Cities Once the Great Migration Once the Great Migration

began, the desire to head began, the desire to head North gained momentum. North gained momentum.

Family members began Family members began to write home, copies of to write home, copies of the the Chicago DefenderChicago Defender, a , a black newspaper, were black newspaper, were published and distributed, published and distributed, and African-Americans and African-Americans began to leave for the began to leave for the cities at an increasing cities at an increasing rate. rate.

Organizations were Organizations were formed to cater to the formed to cater to the integration of rural blacks integration of rural blacks into city life and wage into city life and wage earning.earning.

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Niagara MovementNiagara Movement The 20th Century Civil The 20th Century Civil

Rights Movement began Rights Movement began in western New York and in western New York and adjoining Fort Erie, adjoining Fort Erie, Canada. Canada.

In 1905, an African-In 1905, an African-American organization American organization created in the region created in the region espoused, for the first espoused, for the first time, a modern program time, a modern program of uncompromising of uncompromising protest and demand for protest and demand for change. change.

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In February 1905, W.E.B. Du Bois, John Hope, Monroe In February 1905, W.E.B. Du Bois, John Hope, Monroe Trotter, Frederick McGhee, C. E. Bentley and 27 others Trotter, Frederick McGhee, C. E. Bentley and 27 others met secretly to adopt the resolutions, which lead to the met secretly to adopt the resolutions, which lead to the founding of the Niagara Movement. founding of the Niagara Movement.

On July 11th through 14th, 1905 on the Canadian side of On July 11th through 14th, 1905 on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, twenty-nine men met and formed a group Niagara Falls, twenty-nine men met and formed a group they called the Niagara Movement. they called the Niagara Movement.

The Niagara Movement renounced Booker T. The Niagara Movement renounced Booker T. Washington's accommodation policies set forth in his Washington's accommodation policies set forth in his famed "Atlanta Compromise" speech ten years earlier. famed "Atlanta Compromise" speech ten years earlier.

The name came because of the location and the "mighty The name came because of the location and the "mighty current" of protest they wished to unleash. current" of protest they wished to unleash.

After a very short time, many white liberals joined with After a very short time, many white liberals joined with the nucleus of Niagara "militants" and with Du Bois, the nucleus of Niagara "militants" and with Du Bois, founded the NAACP. founded the NAACP.

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Marcus Garvey: Back to AfricaMarcus Garvey: Back to Africa

Marcus Garvey was a Marcus Garvey was a proponent of black proponent of black nationalism and founder nationalism and founder of the Universal Negro of the Universal Negro Improvement Association Improvement Association and African Communities and African Communities League. League.

He was born in Jamaica, He was born in Jamaica, but was very active in the but was very active in the American arena as an American arena as an advocate of the advocate of the Back to Back to AfricaAfrica movement, movement, encouraging those of encouraging those of African ancestry to return African ancestry to return to their homeland. to their homeland.

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At the behest of Booker T. Washington, Garvey At the behest of Booker T. Washington, Garvey launched a lecture tour in the United States in 1916. launched a lecture tour in the United States in 1916.

Although not a supporter of black supremacy, Garvey Although not a supporter of black supremacy, Garvey believed in racial improvement and separation. believed in racial improvement and separation.

He supported the KKK for their racial separation causes, He supported the KKK for their racial separation causes, pursuing their support in the pursuing their support in the Back to AfricaBack to Africa movement. movement.

In the following excerpt, Garvey promotes his cause by In the following excerpt, Garvey promotes his cause by equating it to the causes of white ethnic Americans.equating it to the causes of white ethnic Americans.

““We want to build up cities, nations, governments, We want to build up cities, nations, governments, industries of our own in Africa, so that we will be able to industries of our own in Africa, so that we will be able to have a chance to rise from the lowest to the highest have a chance to rise from the lowest to the highest position in the African Commonwealth.” position in the African Commonwealth.”

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The Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance In the wake of the black exodus In the wake of the black exodus

from the South, known as the from the South, known as the Great Migration, the Harlem Great Migration, the Harlem section of New York City became section of New York City became home to a number of African home to a number of African American intellectuals, artist, and American intellectuals, artist, and writers. writers.

The seminal magazine feature The seminal magazine feature "Harlem: Mecca for the New "Harlem: Mecca for the New Negro" in Negro" in Survey GraphicSurvey Graphic summarized the cultural summarized the cultural phenomena this way: "If The phenomena this way: "If The Survey reads the signs aright, Survey reads the signs aright, such a dramatic flowering of a such a dramatic flowering of a new racespirit is taking place new racespirit is taking place close at home among American close at home among American Negroes, and the stage of that Negroes, and the stage of that new episode is Harlem." new episode is Harlem."

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Lift Ev'ry Voice and SingLift Ev'ry Voice and Sing "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," often referred to as "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," often referred to as

"The Black National Anthem," was written by "The Black National Anthem," was written by James Weldon Johnson and set to music by his James Weldon Johnson and set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson. brother John Rosamond Johnson.

The song was first performed in 1900 in The song was first performed in 1900 in Jacksonville, Florida by a choir of 500 children Jacksonville, Florida by a choir of 500 children that attended the school where James served as that attended the school where James served as principal. principal.

The song quickly became a way for African-The song quickly became a way for African-Americans to demonstrate their personal Americans to demonstrate their personal patriotism and hope for the future.patriotism and hope for the future.