Why did African Americans head NORTH and WEST during the Great Migration?

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- **Economic Opportunities:**  
  African Americans left the South primarily for industrial jobs available in Northern and Western cities. The promise of higher wages and better job opportunities provided a strong motivation to move away from the economically depressed and agriculturally based South. For instance, if we denote the wage in the North as $$ W_N $$ and in the South as $$ W_S $$, the migration was largely influenced by the disparity where  
  $$
  W_N > W_S.
  $$

- **Escaping Racial Oppression:**  
  The oppressive racial climate in the South, characterized by Jim Crow laws, segregation, and violent racial discrimination, pushed African Americans to seek safer environments. The North and West, though not free of racism, generally offered better civil rights conditions and relative freedom.

- **Improved Living Conditions:**  
  Over time, the industrial cities in the North and West began to offer improved living conditions compared to the deeply segregated and impoverished South. The migration provided new opportunities for education and housing, aiming for a better quality of life.

- **Social and Political Factors:**  
  The sociopolitical atmosphere in the North and West also contributed to the migration. There was a burgeoning sense of possibility where African Americans could participate more actively in political life, and grassroots movements for civil rights were starting to take shape. This contrasted with the disenfranchisement and violence prevalent in the South.

- **Chain Migration:**  
  Early migrants often sent remittances back to their families and friends in the South, creating networks that facilitated further migration. This chain migration effect meant that once a few individuals experienced improved circumstances, news and support spread, leading to larger migratory movements.

- **Impact on Demographic Distribution:**  
  The cumulative effect of these factors can be seen in the demographic shifts during the Great Migration, where a significant portion of the African American population moved to areas where they perceived future economic and social stability.

Each of these factors contributed to the decision of many African Americans to head North and West during the Great Migration, in search of better opportunities and a safer environment.
African Americans moved north and west during the Great Migration to find better jobs, escape racial discrimination, improve their living conditions, and join supportive communities that offered more opportunities and freedom.

Why did African Americans head NORTH and WEST during the Great Migration?

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