One of the key themes in our latest readings is about out-migration from the Appalachian region during this time period. In what ways did out-migration differ across social classes? What differences were there between races? What factors were responsible for these differences? Where did people move to? Why? Did they move immediately or was there a transition period?

Out-migration differed by social class because money allowed people to move out of the area. some people were so poor that they couldn’t afford to leave what they had and start over in a place that could provide more than the Appalachian region. The middle class was the majority of people that moved out, the higher class was happy because they had money and wouldn’t have to move out of the area, the lower class didn’t have the money or the means to move out of the area. Race also had something to do with it, in the earlier stages of out-migration there was still segregation and inequality among races, the minorities thought that maybe if they moved up north and out of the region they could get away from this segregation and get away from the life they had been living starting over with something better for their future generations to come. People moved to the cities, or to areas that had money and opportunity. The goal of any citizen is to earn money and pursue a life of happiness, which is what people leaving the Appalachian region were most likely after. There was a period of movement from the area. over a period of several years people slowly moved from the area once they realized they could find better opportunity elsewhere. By this time the railroads and industry had grown and the southeastern united states was still in a period of growth and desire for labor in the cities.