The Great Migration was an important part of the Progressive Era because it brought with it many social changes, improving life in society.
Explanation:
The Great Migration was a migration of African-Americans from the countryside of the Southern United States to the cities of the Northeastern, Midwest, and Western United States that took place between 1916 and 1970.
Before 1910, more than 90% of African Americans lived in the south and 80% in the countryside. After the Great Migration half lived in the north and west and in 1970 more than 80% of them lived in cities.
The arrival of large numbers of African-Americans in the northern and western cities triggered a new segregation, this time an economic one. A large part of the white city dwellers went to the suburbs, in which was called "the white flight". In addition, the large supply of cheap labor was seen as a threat by the white working class, mostly recent migrants from backward areas in Europe. Through practices such as redlining, the availability of certain services in black neighborhoods could decrease, resulting in urban decay.
On the other hand, the migration also brought cultural enrichment to the cities, which was reflected in, among other things, the Harlem Renaissance. In addition to New Orleans, Chicago became an important center for dixieland and later jazz and blues. Detroit produced Motown, among other things, with which soul also reached a white audience.
For the south, the disappearance of a large part of the black population was a dilemma. On the one hand, they were treated with great hostility and initially the migration was received positively. As the numbers increased, however, a problem arose for an economy based on this cheap labor. Initiatives were then taken to stop the migration. When salary increases and circumstances improvements did not help, attempts were made to hinder African Americans in their travel options.
In 1940 the mechanization in the south was implemented in such a way that the renewed migration was seen as less problematic by the white population.
