Why did African Americans exodusters migrate west?

Thousands of African-Americans made their way to Kansas and other Western states after Reconstruction. The Homestead Act and other liberal land laws offered blacks (in theory) the opportunity to escape the racism and oppression of the post-war South and become owners of their own tracts of private farmland. 

Why did Exodusters leave the South and head west?

Beginning in the mid-1870s, as Northern support for Radical Reconstruction retreated, thousands of African Americans chose to leave the South in the hope of finding equality on the western frontier.

When did Exodusters move west?

It is estimated that in the 1870s, approximately 40,000 to 60,000 African Americans left the South and migrated westward.

Why did some African Americans move west in the early 1800s?

In addition to a significant European migration westward, several thousand African Americans migrated west following the Civil War, as much to escape the racism and violence of the Old South as to find new economic opportunities.

Where did the Exodusters migrate to?

Seeking refuge, an estimated 20,000 Exodusters, primarily from Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, arrived via steamboat for Kansas, the Oklahoma Territory, and other parts of the Great Plains.

What was the most powerful reason for the migration of the Exodusters from the South to Kansas?

Many African Americans believed that Kansas was a unique state where they would be allowed to freely exercise their rights as American citizens, gain true political freedom, and have the opportunity to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

Why did African Americans migrate west from southern states in the late 1870s?

With the oppressive conditions in the South, African Americans began relocating to the West. Starting in the 1870s, at least 40,000 African Americans became “exodusters” – moving to Kansas and surrounding states in search of a better life that was free from the domestic terrorism.

What were the motivations behind the movement of Exodusters?

Exodusters Definition



The primary motivation for this migration was the attractiveness of the Homestead Act, especially concerning the circumstances of the South during the Reconstruction era; most of these individuals settled in Kansas.

What was the cause of Exodusters?

The number one cause of black migration out of the South at this time was to escape racial violence or “bulldozing” by white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the White League, as well as widespread repression under the Black Codes, discriminatory laws that rendered blacks second-class citizens after

What did the Exoduster movement do?

In 1879, a rumour spread that the US government was giving away free land for ex-slaves in Kansas. This further encouraged thousands of black Americans to move to Kansas. By the end of the year, over 40,000 had began the journey to Kansas.

What was the primary reason the Exodusters left the South Quizizz?



What was one reason Exodusters left the South after Reconstruction? Racial violence and discrimination in the South had increased.

What was the cause of Exodusters?

The number one cause of black migration out of the South at this time was to escape racial violence or “bulldozing” by white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the White League, as well as widespread repression under the Black Codes, discriminatory laws that rendered blacks second-class citizens after

Why did many Exodusters move to Kansas in 1879?

Many families began to look for ways to leave the South. Kansas seemed to be one solution. After all Kansas had been associated with freedom because of the events during the Bleeding Kansas era and the fame of John Brown. In addition to this the ability to homestead made Kansas seem to be the ideal place to live.

Why are Exodusters called Exodusters?

Exodusters were African Americans who fled North Carolina because of economic and political grievances after the Reconstruction era.

When did people start moving west?



A significant push toward the west coast of North America began in the 1810s. It was intensified by the belief in manifest destiny, federally issued Indian removal acts, and economic promise. Pioneers traveled to Oregon and California using a network of trails leading west.