Office of Human Relations

Santa Clara County

Delorme McKee-Stovall

Ann Krause

Erika Perez

Migration and the Black Family:Pressures and Opportunities

1450 to the Present

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Goal for Today’s Presentation

To provide a history of the issues and concerns African Americans have faced in their attempt to create and maintain sustainable families in a difficult environment from the time of slavery to the present.

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The Original Migration of Slaves from Africa Migration Out of the South in the Nineteenth Century The “Great Wars Migration” in the Twentieth Century Today’s Migration Back to the South

The African-American Family Migration Experience

Migration has been central in shaping the African-American culture and family life. Our focus today is on the effects of four major migrations on the African-American family:

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The First Migration:Blacks Come to America as Slaves

African Family Selling of African Slaves at Jamestown

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Map of Migration from Africa to America

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A Typical Slave Ship

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Some Data about Slavery

Ten to twelve million slaves were brought to the Americas between 1450 and 1860.

The majority went to Brazil and the West Indies. Only 500,000 came to North America.

Most of the slaves in South and Central America died from the harsh treatment. As a result, slavery did not become established there.

By 1860, 3.8 million slaves made up one-third of the population of the Southern states; in the Northern states, there were 500,000 free Blacks.

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The Selling of Slaves

A Slave Auction Inspection

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Slave Prices for Men and BoysRichmond, 1846 to 1860

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Slave Prices for Women and GirlsRichmond, 1846 to 1860

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Managing SlavesAccording to Willie Lynch in 1712

Use fear, distrust, and envy to divide and create conflicts between slaves.

- Female vs. male

- Old Black male against young Black male

- Dark-skinned versus light-skinned

“They must love, respect, and trust only us [the white slave owners].”

Break them like you break a horse. If you break the female, she will break her offspring. Put the fear of God in the male.

The “Language Barrier”: keep them uneducated and unaware.

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Pictures of Slave Families

A Family Separated

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Pictures of Slave Families

A Family Together

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Slave Efforts to Maintain Families

In spite of slave masters’ sole interest in breeding more slaves, slaves engaged in unlawful marriages. “Jumping the Broom” was a ritual to honor their unions.

Slaves also formed new kinship relationships.

- Slave to slave: blood did not define kinship.

- Master to slave: the master defined the kinship based on sex, skin color, and racial anonymity.

- Slave to Native Americans: based on mutual consent.

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Nineteenth Century: Beginnings ofthe Northern and Western Migrations

Moving Out of the South: Disillusioned by Jim Crow laws and attracted by land and jobs, African Americans migrated North and West.

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Pictures from the Nineteenth Century Migrations

Black Exodus from the South via Riverboat

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Pictures from the Nineteenth Century Migrations

Early Homestead in Kansas The Shores Family in Nebraska

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Pictures from the Nineteenth Century Migrations

Black Cowboys Cyclists in Denver

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Pictures from the Nineteenth Century Migrations

Blacks in a Northern City

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1853 Census of San Jose, CA

Male Female Total

White 4,096 2,062 6,158

Negroes 53 39 92

Mulattoes 3 3

Indians 388 162 550

Foreign 1,059 276 1,335

This census, taken three years after California became a state, shows that Blacks were a part of the early history of San Jose.

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Nineteenth CenturyPressures and Opportunities

Pressures: “Racism” Fear of white violence Economic injustice Jim Crow laws

Opportunities: “The Promised Land” Urban jobs Land ownership Access to education and skills

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Jim Crow Laws: Black Codes

Reverse civil rights gains Promote segregation - Transportation - Use of public facilities - Housing - Restaurants/theaters - Schools Prevent voting - Poll tax - Literacy tests

Purposes:

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Jim Crow Laws: Black Codes

One drop of African blood defined your permanent heritage and status.

Looking directly at or touching a white female was a punishable offense.

Interracial relationships or marriages were illegal.

The legal status of Blacks was equal to 3/5 of a person. Jim Crow laws limited Blacks’ rights to legal recourse.

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Lynchings

Of the 5,000 lynchings and 20,000 killings, only 50 individuals were ever brought to trial.

It is estimated that over 10,000 individuals witnessed these acts of brutality.

The white public sentiment that supported Jim Crow laws also upheld the abhorrent practice of lynching.

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Twentieth Century: The “Great Wars Migrations” to Industrial Areas

The First and Second World Wars created a demand for labor in Northern and Western cities. Thus began the transformation of the African-American population from a predominantly rural to a predominantly urban people.

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Black Population Trends

1890 1960s

Southern 90.3% 10% Rural 90% 5%

Northern 9.7% 90%

Urban 10% 95%

The Change from Southern Rural to Northern Urban

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Pictures from the Twentieth Century Migrations

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Pictures from theTwentieth Century Migrations

Ford Assembly Line

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Pictures from theTwentieth Century Migrations

Harlem in the Twenties: The Harlem Renaissance

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Pictures from the Twentieth Century Migrations

Woman Aircraft Worker during WW II Housing in Detroit

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Pictures from the Twentieth Century Migrations

Middle Class Family

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Segregation in the Forties

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Boycott of Woolworth and Kress Stores in San Jose in the Fifties

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1900-1960Pressures and Opportunities

Pressures Jim Crow laws: segregation Cultural insensitivity Social welfare

Opportunities Jobs Community Integration: education and housing

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The Sixties: Time of Radical Change

MLK and Gandhi “I have a dream” Speech

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The Sixties: Time of Radical Change

Black PanthersStokely Carmichael and the SDS

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1960 to 2000Pressures and Opportunities

Pressures Cultural insensitivity Economic and racial discrimination

Opportunities Civil rights Black Power movements

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Current Migration Trend:Back to the South

Starting in the 1970s, there has been a reverse migration to the South as prospects for Blacks have improved there. As Maya Angelou observed, many African Americans have found that they can come home again.

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Pictures from the Current Migration to the South

New Opportunities for a Better Life

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Pictures from the Current Migration to the South

The New Little Rock

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Pictures from the Current Migration to the South

A Battle Won?

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Decreasing Black Population in Santa Clara County

1970 1980 1990 2000 2005

18,000 42,835 55,365 47,182 42,307

1.7% 3.3% 3.7% 2.8% 2.5%

Santa Clara County Black Census

Are they going to the South also?

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Current Black FamiliesPressures and Opportunities

Pressures Cultural insensitivity Shifting demographics and economics

Opportunities Community Jobs Home ownership

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Looking toward the Future

It isn’t where you came from. It’s where you’re going that counts.-- Ella Fitzgerald

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For Further Study

Much of the information and imagery for this presentation was taken from the web site “In Motion: The African-American Migration Experience.”

http://www.inmotionaame.org