MoMA

Government Approved Home Fallout Shelter Snack Bar, 1983

Michael Smith

American, born 1951

MoMA

Cry for Freedom, 1973

Malangatana Valente Ngwenya

Mozambican, 1936 – 2011

Image Unavailable

Feed, Grain, Oil, Coal, 1943

Carl Gaertner

Carl Gaertner (American, 1898–1952)

MoMA

The World War had caused a great shortage in Northern industry and also citizens of foreign countries were returning home, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

In many of the communities the Negro press was read continually because of its attitude and its encouragement of the movement, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

Another of the social causes of the migrants' leaving was that at times they did not feel safe, or it was not the best thing to be found on the streets late at night. They were arrested on the slightest provocation, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

Child labor and a lack of education was one of the other reasons for people wishing to leave their homes, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

And people all over the South began to discuss this great movement, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

The labor agent who had been sent South by Northern industry was a very familiar person in the Negro counties, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

In every home people who had not gone North met and tried to decide if they should go North or not, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

The railroad stations in the South were crowded with people leaving for the North, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

The Negro press was also influential in urging the people to leave the South, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

They arrived in great numbers into Chicago, the gateway of the West, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

They also worked in large numbers on the railroad, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

The Negro was the largest source of labor to be found after all others had been exhausted, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

The migrants arrived in great numbers, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

They also made it very difficult for migrants leaving the South. They often went to railroad stations and arrested the Negroes wholesale, which in turn made them miss their train, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

Living conditions were better in the North, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

Industries attempted to board their labor in quarters that were oftentimes very unhealthy. Labor camps were numerous, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

Housing for the Negroes was a very difficult problem, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

Race riots were very numerous all over the North because of the antagonism that was caused between the Negro and white workers. Many of these riots occurred because the Negro was used as a strike breaker in many of the Northern industries, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

One of the largest race riots occurred in East St. Louis, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

One of the main forms of social and recreational activities in which the migrants indulged occurred in the church, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000

MoMA

Among one of the last groups to leave the South was the Negro professional who was forced to follow his clientele to make a living, 1940-41

Jacob Lawrence

American, 1917–2000