There was competition among ethnic Irish, newer European immigrants, and African-American migrants from the South, for industrial jobs and housing.
Most African-American migrants leaving the northern regions have gone to the "New South" states, where economies and jobs have grown from knowledge industries, services and technology.
In the early 20th century, dramatic growth in industrial jobs in the American Bottom attracted many European immigrants and African-American migrants.
Seven decades ago, their parents were among thousands of northbound African-American migrants who made their neighborhood, Morrisania, the Bronx's premier black community.
New waves of Asian, Hispanic, and African-American migrants moved into the remaining neighborhoods.
Populations increased so rapidly with the addition of African-American migrants and new European immigrants both that there were widespread housing shortages in many cities.
In cities such as Chicago the influx of African-American migrants and other immigrants resulted in racial violence, which flared in several cities during 1919.
This significant event and the subsequent struggle of African-American migrants to adapt to Northern cities was the subject of James Lawrence's Migration Series.
African-American migrants also competed with an expanding wave of rural immigrants from Europe, who were now in competition for jobs.
Mortgage discrimination and redlining in inner city areas limited the newer African-American migrants' ability to determine their own housing, or obtain a fair price.