In 1917, R.S. Horton, a barber from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, relocated to Chicago, not primarily for economic gain – he was already financially stable – but for the fundamental right to participate in the political process. His move, detailed in interviews conducted by Chicago Urban League investigator Charles Johnson, underscored a growing sentiment among Black Southerners: the desire for full citizenship, a right systematically denied them under Jim Crow laws.
Horton’s story is emblematic of the Great Migration, a period between 1910 and 1970 that saw an estimated six million Black Americans leave the South, with Chicago becoming a primary destination. Between 1915 and 1940, the city’s African American population more than doubled, and by 1970, nearly one-third of Chicago’s residents were Black – approximately one million people. This influx, particularly from Mississippi, was greater than from any other state, driven by the promise of a better life and the limitations imposed by segregation and disenfranchisement in the South.
The motivations behind this mass movement were multifaceted. Jim Crow laws created a system of second-class citizenship, restricting Black Americans’ access to education, employment, and basic civil rights. The Chicago Defender, an African American newspaper widely circulated in the South – often delivered by Pullman porters on Illinois Central Railroad lines – played a crucial role in disseminating information about opportunities in the North and actively organizing migration efforts, even offering group discounts on train fares. Johnson’s interviews revealed that migrants were aware of the potential for political participation, specifically the ability to vote and influence elections, a right routinely suppressed in Mississippi.
The arrival of Mississippians in Chicago also brought with it the Delta blues, which became foundational to the postwar Chicago blues style. Musicians like Muddy Waters, who traveled north on the Illinois Central, became central figures in the city’s vibrant music scene. Although Robert Johnson famously sang about “Sweet Home Chicago,” his sentiments were echoed by countless others seeking refuge and opportunity in the city. Bluesmen Jimmy Rogers and Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup further celebrated Chicago as a haven, calling it “the greatest place around” and “the grandest place on earth,” respectively.
Though, the reality for Black migrants in Chicago was far from idyllic. The promise of freedom and equality was met with persistent racism, segregation, and violence. Martin Luther King Jr. Would later famously describe Chicago as the most racist city in America. The initial optimism expressed by migrants like Horton was tempered by the challenges of navigating a novel urban landscape marked by discrimination and limited opportunities. The experiences documented by Charles Johnson reveal a diverse range of responses, from hopeful anticipation to disillusionment, as migrants grappled with the complexities of life in their new homes.
The Illinois Central Railroad, with its extensive network including eight hundred miles of Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad track, served as a crucial artery for the Great Migration. Central Station, located across from the current site of the Spertus Institute, was a major arrival point for those seeking a new life in Chicago until its demolition in 1974.
