Browse By Migrations Geography Timeline Source Materials Education Materials Search
The Great Migration
Mapping Twentieth Century African-American Migration
Overview
The website includes many maps among its resource materials. Maps bring the migration of African-Americans of the twentieth century to life, visually organizing statistical information for students. The lesson, Mapping Twentieth Century African-American Migration, is designed to help students develop their analytical skills when examining maps by comparing, contrasting, and sequencing information using : Principal States of Origin of the Migrants 1910–1930; Principal States of Origin of the Migrants 1940–1950; African-Americans Going South 1995–2000; The Great Migration; The Second Great Migration; Interstate Migrations 1955–1995; The Second Great Migration Gaines and Losses 1940–1970; and Reverse Migration 1975–2000. Students will use the activities in this lesson to compare and contrast states of origin and destination states at the beginning and end of the Great Migration, the Second Great Migration, and the Reverse Migration (in conjunction with their reading of the narratives The Great Migration, the Second Great Migration, Return South Migration.)Students will assess how geographical features such as the Appalachian Mountains and Mississippi River impacted settlement and evaluate whether modernized transportation (railroads, the interstate system) lessened the role of geography in migration.
Grade Levels:High School, grades 9–12
For use with:The Great Migration, the Second Great Migration, Return South Migration
Concentration Area:Geography
National Curriculum Standards met by this lesson
The following standards have been taken from the Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel) standards.
Students will understand

  • Understand historical continuity and change related to a particular development or theme (e.g., the Industrial Revolution, the evolution of democracy in the U.S.)

  • Understand how the past affects our private lives and society in general

  • Use historical maps to understand the relationship between historical events and geography
Time required
This lesson is expected to take 1–2 50-minute class periods if reading the narrative is assigned homework.
Materials needed
  • Atlas or textbook maps of the United States including features of both political and physical geography
  • Venn diagram
  • World political wall map (optional)
  • Map: Principal States of Origin of the Migrants 1910–1930
  • Map: Principal States of Origin of the Migrants 1940–1950
  • Map: African Americans Going South 1995–2000
  • Map: The Great Migration
  • Map: The Second Great Migration
  • Map: Interstate Migrations 1955–1995
  • Map: The Second Great Migration Gains and Losses 1940–1970
  • Map: Reverse Migration 1975–2000
  • Narratives, Great Migration, The Second Great Migration, and Return South
Anticipatory Set

  1. Poll students to determine how many students were born in-state and how many were born out of state or country. If the classroom is equipped with a wall map of the world or there is an overhead projector from which an outline map of the world may be projected, the teacher may wish to record the responses on the map. If there is no map, record responses in list form.

  2. Next, poll students who were not born in-state to identify the location of their birth.

  3. Finally, ask for student volunteers who know where their parents were born to share those locations.

  4. Ask students whether the results of their class poll indicate that their group has experienced geographical mobility or not.

  5. Explain to students that the Diaspora of Africans within the Americas because of the international, and later domestic, slave trade does not explain the distribution of African-Americans around the United States in the 21st century. Brainstorm factors which might have caused African-Americans to migrate after emancipation.
Procedures

  • Explain to students that economic opportunities, technological developments, military service during wars, and the quest for political and personal freedom are some of the factors that have had an impact on African-American migration. Divide the class into eight groups, each of which will examine one map and one of the narratives (Great Migration, The Second Great Migration, and Return South Migration) for a fuller understanding of the push and pull factors operating upon African-American migration. The groups will be:

  • Principal States of Origin of the Migrants 1910–1930– Great Migration

  • Principal States of Origin of the Migrants 1940–1950 – The Second Great Migration

  • African Americans Going South 1995–2000 – Return South

  • The Great Migration – Great Migration

  • The Second Great Migration– The Second Great Migration

  • Interstate Migrations 1955–1995 – Return South

  • The Second Great Migration Gains and Losses 1940–1970– The Second Great Migration

  • Reverse Migration 1975–2000 – Return South

  • Direct students to read the narrative and examine their maps. Ask students to determine answers to the following generic questions first.

  • What is the main title of the map?

  • What is the time range of the map?

  • What direction is north on these map?

  • What geographical area is represented on the map?

  • What do the different colors on the key represent?

  • What other titles, labels, or written explanations help you to interpret this map?

  • What titles, labels, or written explanation help you to interpret the bar graph elements of the map (where applicable)?

  • What is the main idea of this map?

  • Ask students in each group to determine answers to the following questions about the specific content of their map:

    1. What states did African Americans leave during the time period(s) on this map?

    2. What states did African Americans move to during the time period(s) on this map?

    3. What state did the greatest number of African Americans leave during the time period(s) on this map?

    4. What state did the greatest number of African Americans move to during the time period(s) on this map?

    5. If you were to include geographical features such as the Appalachian or Rocky Mountains or the Mississippi River on the map, would it confirm that these geographical features might have had an impact on the migration of African-Americans during the time range of your map? Explain.

    6. If you were to include transportation features such as the transcontinental and other main railroad lines, the interstate system, or major airport hubs on your map, would it confirm that these improvements in transportation might have had an impact on the migration of African Americans during the time range of your map? Explain.

    7. If you were to include major military and defense industry centers on your map, would it confirm that these installations might have had an impact on the migration of African-Americans during the time range of your map? Explain.

    8. If you were to include main cities and economic centers of the time period on your map, would it confirm that these job centers might have had an impact on the migration of African-Americans during the time range of your map? Explain.

    9. If your map covers several time periods, is there any evidence of a change in what states African Americans departed and/or moved to over the decades?

  • Provide students with a Venn diagram. Ask them to label the heading on one side with their map number and migration. Explain that they may select any other map presented by one other group to complete the other side of the diagram. They should label the heading on the other side with that map number and migration. Students will identify contrasting key data and conclusions on each side and draw comparisons in the overlap.

  • Following the group presentations, lead a class discussion about the three main phases of African-American migration in the twentieth century. Ask students to create a chronological sequence for the maps and presentations. Then, ask them to compare and contrast the three migrations. Finally, ask students to draw general conclusions about the migration of African-Americans in the twentieth century.

    		•
    Assessment

    The students' participation in the group's work, presentation and class discussion may be evaluated on a twenty-point scale (which may be multiplied by five to convert to 100-point scale or for conversion to letter grades) using the following rubric:

    Excellent (5) Good (4) Fair (3-2) Not Satisfactory (1) NoWork (0)
    Oral Skills Effective Speaker - tonalvariety, speed, volume, clarity Minor Problems-monotone, soft, mumbling too rapid Numerous speaking problems or Minimal participation Communication lacking, Wanders off topic Does not participate
    Historical Research Locates information in narrative and uses specific historical arguments and examples

    No factual errors    		 Locates information in narrative and uses general historical arguments and a few examples

    No factual errors    		 Locates information in narrative and uses general information

    Some factual errors    		 Little research and incomplete reading of narrative

    Limited understanding of arguments

    Many factual errors    		 No research
    Team presentation Knowledge of information is deep; little need to refer to notes Enthusiastic and persuasive relationship with audience Above average enthusiasm and audience impact

    Good knowledge but reliance on notes    		 Reads, making little contact with audience

    Average knowledge    		 Reads and makes no contact with audience Limited knowledge and information base Minimal contribution to team effort Does not participate
    Discussion Skills Natural participation in ebb and flow of discussion; improvises well

    Contributes to the discussion but does not monopolize it

    Displays courtesy    		 Participates effectively but doesn't improvise well Displays courtesy Monopolizes discussion Minimal contribution to discussion Inappropriate comments or does not contribute

    Related Works

    • The United States Census Bureau was intended to provide a head-count so that seats in the U.S. House of Representatives could be apportioned, but the decennial census has become a rich source of statistical information about life in the United States since it was first held in 1790. The statistics in this activity are national and regional, but students will need to go to census compilations for local data. To access the most recent census statistical data visit http://www.census.gov/. There are additional free materials for teachers online.

    • Individual's census forms are kept private for 72 years but may contain rich family information. For information about individuals and families in the census and how to access the census, visit the National Archives website http://www.archives.gov/research_room/genealogy/research_topics/census_records.html.

    • National History Day regularly revisits migration as a theme of its annual competition. To determine what the theme for the year will be and how to integrate African-American migration into the theme visit http://www.nationalhistoryday.org/.
    Interdisciplinary Links

    • Communications/Computer/Graphic Design –Ask individual students or groups of students to create a computer slide-show or video about one of the twentieth century African-American migrations (Great Migration, Second Great Migration, and Return South) integrating maps, photographs and/or film clips, music and/or oral history interviews, creating captions and explanatory material, to bring the migration to life. Students may wish to share their multi-media presentation with other classes as a segment of morning closed-circuit television announcements, perhaps as part of Black History Month in February. Migration is a recurring theme of National History Day and students may wish to enter their project in competition.

    • Government – Ask students to examine data from the census either a) to determine where African Americans had migrated during the 19th century, from the time of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery to 1900 or b) to determine whether the Return South reverse migration phenomenon that began in the 1970s is continuing at the same pace, declining, or accelerating.
    Home About Glossary The New York Public Library
    Privacy Policy | Rules & Regulations | Using the Internet | Website Terms & Conditions

    © The New York Public Library, 2005.