Which event marks the beginning of the Great Migration?

The correct answer is World War I. This event marks the beginning of the Great Migration, which was a significant movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North and West. The migration was driven by a variety of factors, including the search for better employment opportunities, escaping the oppressive conditions of Jim Crow laws, and fleeing the violence of racial segregation prevalent in the South.

During World War I, there was an increased demand for labor in northern factories due to the war effort, which attracted many African Americans seeking jobs. This shift not only changed demographic patterns but also had lasting cultural implications, contributing to the rise of vibrant African American communities in northern cities.

The other events listed, while historically significant, do not serve as the starting point for the Great Migration. The Civil War was a catalyst for the emancipation of enslaved people but did not directly initiate this migration. The Great Depression brought about economic struggles that affected all Americans, including African Americans, but it occurred after the initial migration had begun. The Harlem Renaissance, on the other hand, was a cultural movement that emerged in the 1920s but was a result of the Great Migration rather than its starting point.