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Can you move to opportunity? Evidence from the Great Migration

Author

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  • Ellora Derenoncourt

    (Princeton University)

Abstract

This paper shows that racial composition shocks during the Great Migration (1940-1970) reduced the gains from growing up in the northern United States for Black families and can explain 27% of the region’s racial upward mobility gap today. I identify northern Black share increases by interacting pre-1940 Black migrants’ location choices with predicted southern county out-migration. Locational changes, not negative selection of families, explain lower upward mobility, with persistent segregation and increased crime and policing as plausible mechanisms. The case of the Great Migration provides a more nuanced view of moving to opportunity when destination reactions are taken into account.

Suggested Citation

  • Ellora Derenoncourt, 2021. "Can you move to opportunity? Evidence from the Great Migration," Working Papers 2021-17, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    • Handle: RePEc:pri:econom:2021-17
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    Cited by:

    1. Muñoz, Ercio, 2021. "Does it Matter Where You Grow up? Childhood Exposure Effects in Latin America and the Caribbean," Research Department working papers 1843, CAF Development Bank Of Latinamerica.
    2. Traettino, Salvador, 2023. "Migración forzada y finanzas públicas locales: evidencia de los municipios en Colombia," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 12926, Inter-American Development Bank.
    3. Tabellini, Marco & Alesina, Alberto, 2020. "The Political Effects of Immigration: Culture or Economics?," CEPR Discussion Papers 15486, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Rustam Jamilov, 2022. "Social Capital and Monetary Policy," Discussion Papers 2219, Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM).
    5. Salvador Traettino, 2022. "Migración forzada y finanzas públicas locales: Evidencia de los municipios en Colombia," Documentos CEDE 20335, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    migration;

    JEL classification:

    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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