Jump to: Historical background Suggestions for Teachers Additional resources Background From the 1910s to 1970, one of the largest internal migrations in the history of the United States took place. Millions of African Americans moved from rural to urban centers and from southeastern states to the north and west. This exodus, which came to be called “the Great Migration,” transformed American life in the 20th century and beyond. Many factors fueled the Great Migration. World War I created job op