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Difficulty: HardThe Great Migration and Demographic Shifts

Read the following excerpt from a 1919 study published by the United States Department of Labor titled *Negro Migration in 1916–17*:

'The departure of the Negroes from the South was not a sudden impulse, but the result of years of accumulated grievances. The immediate causes were the low wages of the South, the lack of educational facilities, the inequality of law enforcement, and the insecurity of life. At the same time, the extraordinary demand for labor in Northern industries, created by the European war and the cessation of foreign immigration, offered wages three to four times higher than those in the South, together with a greater measure of personal safety and civic freedom.'

Based on the excerpt, which of the following arguments about the drivers of the Great Migration is best supported?

  1. A
    It was primarily a spontaneous flight from Southern racial violence, with Northern industrial demand playing only a minor role in the timing of the demographic shift.
  2. B
    It was almost entirely caused by the sudden availability of high-paying factory jobs, which overshadowed otherwise stable and equitable social relations in the South.
  3. The migration was propelled by a combination of Southern systemic injustices that drove families away and Northern economic opportunities that drew them toward urban industrial centers.Answer
  4. D
    It was largely motivated by federal civil rights legislation that outlawed housing and labor discrimination in Northern and Midwestern states during World War I.

Answer

The migration was propelled by a combination of Southern systemic injustices that drove families away and Northern economic opportunities that drew them toward urban industrial centers.
The correct answer is supported because the excerpt describes a dual set of forces: Southern 'push' factors such as systemic inequality, poor schooling, and physical insecurity, coupled with Northern 'pull' factors such as industrial labor demand, higher wages, and greater civic freedom. Fleeing oppression alone did not direct the migration; rather, the promise of industrial work and relative safety in the North acted as a powerful destination draw.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary source text for factors motivating the migration.
The text identifies push factors in the South (low wages, lack of educational facilities, unequal law enforcement, insecurity of life) and pull factors in the North (high industrial labor demand, high wages, personal safety, civic freedom).
Understanding the dual nature of migration drivers is necessary to evaluate which historical argument is best supported.
2
Evaluate the options against the findings of the text and historical context.
The option asserting both push and pull factors aligns perfectly with the text, while other options either focus exclusively on one type of factor or contain historical inaccuracies about the legal status of civil rights during World War I.
Differentiating between push and pull factors prevents oversimplification of the demographic shift.

Key Concept

The Great Migration and Demographic Shifts
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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The Great Migration and Demographic Shifts

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