1. GREAT MIGRATION AND THE BLUES Black Migration –Limited Black Migration Before the 20 th Century –The First “Great Migration,” 1916-1921 500,000 blacks (5 % of total southern black population) leave the South. 100,000 are from Mississippi (10% of the state’s black population) –The Second Migration, 1940-1970 Over 5,000,000 blacks leave the South

2. GREAT MIGRATION AND THE BLUES White migration –20,000,000 migrants Return migration Where did the migrants go? –The Black Metropolis –Hillbilly ghettos

4. GREAT MIGRATION AND THE BLUES Why did people migrate? –Push factors Lack of economic opportunity and poverty Racism and rising expectations –Pull factors Economic opportunities (WWI, WWII, 1950s boom) Freedoms

5. GREAT MIGRATION AND THE BLUES Migration creates new opportunities both for those who leave and those who stay Consequences of the Migration –Population shifts –Religious change –Civil rights movement –Transfer and alteration of culture

6. GREAT MIGRATION AND THE BLUES The origin and structure of the blues Blues themes –Relationships –Travel –Fortune –Vice –Tragedy –Discrimination?

7. GREAT MIGRATION AND THE BLUES From country blues to electric blues –Charley Patton –Robert Johnson –Muddy Waters The influence of blues on American popular music

8. GREAT MIGRATION AND THE BLUES Robert Johnson

9. GREAT MIGRATION AND THE BLUES Country music Jimmie Rodgers