The Great Migration, occurring primarily between 1916 and 1970, was driven by several factors, including the search for better economic opportunities, escaping oppressive Jim Crow laws, and seeking to reunite with family members in northern cities. African Americans fled the rural South, where labor was predominantly agrarian and exploitative, to urban areas such as Chicago, Detroit, and New York, where industrial jobs were more plentiful due to World War I and II demands. This migration significantly shaped demographic patterns and cultural landscapes in America, leading to the establishment of vibrant African American communities and the Harlem Renaissance.