Great Migration Philadelphia
The Great Migration transformed Philadelphia from a city with a small Black population to one of America's largest African American communities, as millions of Black Southerners moved north between 1910 and 1970. Philadelphia received among the largest numbers of migrants, who came seeking industrial employment, escape from Jim Crow oppression, and better lives for their families. The migration reshaped the city's demographics, culture, politics, and neighborhoods in ways that continue to define Philadelphia.[1]
Background
[edit | edit source]Philadelphia had a small but significant Black community before the Great Migration, including free Blacks who had never been enslaved and those who escaped slavery via the Underground Railroad. This established community, centered in South Philadelphia and areas near Center City, had developed institutions including Mother Bethel AME Church, the first African Methodist Episcopal congregation.[1]
The Great Migration dramatically accelerated Black population growth. Philadelphia's Black population rose from approximately 84,000 in 1910 to over 220,000 by 1930, and continued growing through subsequent decades. By 1970, when the migration's first phase ended, Black Philadelphians numbered over 650,000—approximately one-third of the city's population.[1]
Push and Pull Factors
[edit | edit source]Push Factors
[edit | edit source]Conditions in the South drove migration:
- Jim Crow laws — Legal segregation, disenfranchisement, and discrimination
- Racial violence — Lynching and terrorism targeting Black communities
- Economic exploitation — Sharecropping, debt peonage, and limited opportunity
- Natural disasters — Boll weevil infestation devastated cotton farming
These conditions made remaining in the South increasingly untenable for Black Southerners seeking dignity and opportunity.[1]
Pull Factors
[edit | edit source]Philadelphia offered:
- Industrial employment — Factories, shipyards, and other industries needed workers
- Relative freedom — While discrimination existed, formal segregation was less rigid
- Established community — Existing Black institutions provided support networks
- Geographic accessibility — Rail connections to the South facilitated movement
World War I created particular demand for labor as European immigration halted and military service reduced the workforce.[1]
Settlement Patterns
[edit | edit source]Migrants initially settled in established Black neighborhoods, creating overcrowding as population exceeded housing stock. South Philadelphia, the traditional Black center, expanded while new concentrations developed in West Philadelphia and North Philadelphia. By mid-century, North Philadelphia had become the largest Black residential area, with populations extending into formerly all-white neighborhoods.[1]
Housing discrimination—through deed restrictions, redlining, and violence against Black residents in white neighborhoods—confined settlement to specific areas. This concentration created the segregation patterns that continue to shape Philadelphia's geography.[1]
Institutional Development
[edit | edit source]The growing population supported institutional development:
- Churches — Congregations grew and new churches formed
- Businesses — Black-owned businesses served the community
- Media — The Philadelphia Tribune provided news and advocacy
- Organizations — Civil rights organizations, social clubs, and mutual aid societies
These institutions provided community infrastructure while advocating for civil rights and equal treatment.[1]
Cultural Impact
[edit | edit source]Migrants brought Southern culture that mixed with Philadelphia traditions to create distinctive expressions:
- Music — Blues, jazz, and later the Philadelphia Sound reflected migrant influences
- Food — Southern cooking traditions adapted to urban contexts
- Religion — Southern Baptist and Methodist traditions enriched religious life
This cultural exchange created the foundations of contemporary Black Philadelphia.[1]