One way the second great migration was different from the first great migration was the destination of the migrants. During the first great migration, which took place between 1910 and 1940, the majority of African Americans migrated from the rural South to the industrial cities of the North, such as Chicago, Detroit, and New York. However, during the second great migration which occurred from the 1940s to the 1970s, African Americans additionally began moving to cities in the West and the Midwest, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Cleveland. This expansion of destination cities during the second great migration shows a broader geographical movement of African Americans seeking better opportunities and fleeing segregation and discrimination in the South.
One way the second great migration was different from the first great migration was the primary destination of African Americans. While the first great migration occurred between 1910 and 1940, with many African Americans leaving the Southern states to move to the industrial cities of the Northeast and Midwest, the second great migration took place between 1940 and 1970 and saw a significant shift in destination. During this period, African Americans increasingly moved to the West Coast, particularly to cities such as Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco. This shift was largely driven by opportunities in the defense industry during World War II and the growth of the aerospace and manufacturing sectors in California. This geographical difference marked a significant change in the patterns and destinations of African American migration during the second great migration.
