of this
chapter, are for the most part reproductions of parts of Chapter I of
_Immigration_, by H. P. Fairchild. In some cases quotations and
paraphrases from this source are also given. The acknowledgment here,
however, is once and for all.

CHAPTER II

PREVIOUS NEGRO MOVEMENTS

Among the many who have written concerning this exodus one finds that
not a few of them have been prone to emphasize the fact that in this
recent movement the Negroes suddenly developed within themselves a
desire to move, thus implying that migration is not controlled by
certain economic and social laws, and that this movement was an
entirely new social phenomenon. Disregarding for the present the first
assumption, and directing attention to the second, the writer holds
that the latter must have sprung from the fact that no account was
taken of the past economic and social history of the Negroes; for a
study in that direction would have shown that ever since the time of
their emancipation the Negroes have shown a tendency to migrate.[9]
That this has been the case a number of instances will demonstrate.

Shortly after emancipation there occurred slow and confused movements
of the Negro population which covered a period of several years.
During his enslavement the Negro could hardly do anything without the
will and consent of his master; he had not the liberty to order and
direct his life as he chose. When, therefore, he was suddenly
transformed from this state to that of freedom, the first thing he did
was to put this freedom to test by moving about. Consequently he
drifted from place to place and at the same time changed his name,
employment, and even his wife. Many also devoted much of their time to
hunting while they were awaiting Federal Government assistance in the
form of land and mules. Emancipation meant to them not only freedom
from slavery but freedom from responsibility as well. Thus during
their early years of liberty large numbers of Negroes moved about
almost aimlessly and thoughtlessly and made their way especially to
the towns, cities and Federal military camps.[10]

There was, moreover, a considerable movement of the Negro population
toward the southwestern part of the United States. It was very slow
and was in operation between 1865 and 1875, when the expansion of the
numerous railway systems gave rise to a great number of land
speculators who did much to induce men to go West and settle on the
land. Their appeals