Editing Great Migration to Philadelphia (section)

== Settlement Patterns ==

African American migrants to Philadelphia settled in distinct neighborhoods, often displacing earlier residents or moving into areas of available housing. North Philadelphia, particularly the area around Columbia Avenue (later Cecil B. Moore Avenue), became the center of Black Philadelphia by mid-century. South Philadelphia's Black community, which had roots going back to the 18th century, expanded with new arrivals. West Philadelphia, particularly the area around Lancaster Avenue and later further west, developed significant Black populations. The settlement patterns reflected both choice—migrants often followed family and friends to particular neighborhoods—and constraint, as housing discrimination limited where African Americans could live.<ref name="wolfinger">{{cite book |last=Wolfinger |first=James |title=Philadelphia Divided: Race and Politics in the City of Brotherly Love |year=2007 |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |location=Chapel Hill}}</ref>

Housing conditions in the neighborhoods where migrants settled were often poor. Landlords who rented to Black tenants frequently maintained properties inadequately while charging premium rents, knowing that discrimination limited tenants' alternatives. Overcrowding was common as families doubled up in apartments designed for smaller households. The combination of poor housing, limited city services, and overcrowding created public health challenges. Yet migrants also built vibrant communities in these neighborhoods, establishing churches, businesses, and social organizations that served the growing population. The neighborhoods might be poor, but they were also centers of Black cultural and social life.<ref name="hershberg"/>