Black Americans are increasingly moving to the South, new data shows. The American Community Survey’s recent release of data from a study, coupled with analysis by the Brooking Institution show that many Black Americans are choosing to relocate to metropolitan areas in Southern states, like Atlanta, GA and Houston, TX. The trend — a reversal from the Black exodus Southern states witnessed in the early 20th century colloquially known as the “Great Migration” — has led some scholars to label the movement the “New Great Migration.”
The original Great Migration was sparked by the desire of Black Americans to gain more educational and economic opportunities and flee the racial discrimination and violence that dominated the region throug. In total, six million Black Americans migrated from the South to the North, Midwest and West from 1910 to 1970, making it the largest migration in U.S. history.
The result of the first Great Migration was the development of thriving African American communities across the U.S., which contributed greatly to the cultural progress in their new home-cities. The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, for example, led to the growth of African American art, music, fashion and culture in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, where many ex-Southerners migrated to. In another Great Migration hub, Detroit, MI, Motown music took off, fostering legends like the music group Jackson 5 and companies like Motown Records to become the largest Black-owned American business at the time.
Yet, recent reversals in the migrations north and westward suggest that moreBlack Americans believe that opportunity has shifted. New socio-political and socioeconomic realities — such as the development of a new interstate highway system and the flight of many white families out of the city — among other factors, have led some Black families to move to the South. The change has been stark.
The Black population in the South has fluctuated from 90% in 1910, down to 53% in 1973 and then up to 57% in 2020, according to the Brookings analysis. From 2015 to 2020, Atlanta saw the largest growth in its Black population among the major U.S. metropolitan areas, while New York City saw the largest decline. Among those moving there is a common theme: the disproportionate number of Black Americans migrating South are young with college degrees.
Southern Communities Initiative’s Efforts Across Southern Cities
While the surge of young Black Americans moving to the South may help the local economies of Southern communities, philanthropists and organizations have already been working to improve them. Entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert F. Smith, the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners (Vista), supports the economic advancement of Black Americans, especially in Southern cities, through the Southern Communities Initiative. Southern Communities Initiative is “a catalytic consortium to accelerate racial equity funding, programming and outcomes” that supports community organizations addressing racial inequality. The Initiative supports six Southern U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Houston, Memphis and New Orleans, which are home to more than half of Black Americans.
Southern Communities Initiative focuses on four pillars: supporting Black owned-businesses, ensuring Black people have access to capital, advancing education and workforce development opportunities for Black students and expanding broadband access across Black communities.
In New Orleans, LA, the Initiative partners with the Urban League of Louisiana’s Black Business Work Fund to expand its support for Black-owned businesses. They also partner with the New Orleans Youth Alliance, YouthForce NOLA and the Urban League of Louisiana to subsidize apprenticeship and internship programs.
Additionally, in Charlotte, NC the Initiative helps community development financial institutions (CDFIs) scale up by modernizing their equipment, hiring new staff and expanding their marketing. The Initiative seeks to raise community awareness about the Emergency Broadband benefit in low-income neighborhoods to increase broadband access across Charlotte.
Learn more about Smith and his philanthropy.