Читать книгу Freedom Facts and Firsts - Jessie Carney Smith - Страница 45

Before the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation ended plantation slavery in the South, fugitive slaves in most cases headed north to seek freedom. The largest migration movements occurred in twenty-year cycles, beginning with the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which generated mass travel on the Underground Railroad. In 1870 the aftermath of the Civil War caused many to leave the South, while the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, World War I (1914–1918), and America’s entry into World War II (1941–1945) also generated interest among blacks seeking industrial work in the North. The Chicago Defender, an African American newspaper founded by Robert Sengstacke Abbott in 1905, became a leading voice in promoting the “Negro Exodus” to northern states, described as the “promised land” and “New Canaan.” The newspaper was also known for its strong attacks against racial prejudice and discrimination. When blacks moved north, they encountered densely populated urban environments and struggled for fair treatment in employment, housing, education, and other concerns. Northward migration continued to be a viable option until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s brought major social changes to the South.

Fletcher F. Moon