The Black Exodus From The South

If you live in Memphis or the mid-south. Chances are you have relatives in one or more of the northern cities. In a joking matter it has been said that 1 out of 4 people in Chicago came from Mississippi. Now we know where that notion came from. Today it might be somewhat exaggerated, but there was a time when it was true. In the early 1900's Blacks moved from southern states to the northern part of the country. Seeking better jobs and an escape from Jim Crow laws.

I found it interesting to know that Blacks didn't largely migrate to the north, for the jobs that we always think they did. When you think about Detroit, the next thought is the carmakers. The auto industry and other manufacturing jobs may be what they're known for now. In the beginning it was the service jobs vacated by those going to the factories. Yet another step in our journey in America.

Click on link for more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Migration_(African_American))