The year that marked the beginning of the Great Migration of African Americans to Northern cities is approximately 1916. This mass movement was prompted by various factors, including the search for better job opportunities, the desire to escape oppressive Jim Crow laws in the South, and the hope for a better quality of life. The Great Migration primarily took place in two waves: the first during World War I and the second during and after World War II. This demographic shift significantly altered the cultural and social landscape of Northern cities, leading to changes in politics, art, and African American identity.