Migration in the 1930s: Beyond the Dust Bowl

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Economic History
• Environmental History

Background:

• The 1930s experienced significant environmental and economic shocks.
• Migration patterns during this era are not fully understood.
• Existing research often focuses on specific regions like the Dust Bowl.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the role of environmental and economic shocks in 1930s U.S. migration.
• To demonstrate how weather conditions influenced migration flows through agricultural success.
• To provide a comprehensive examination of migration across the entire U.S. during this period.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the 1940 U.S. Census of Population for detailed migration data.
• Integrating historical temperature and precipitation data.
• Incorporating agricultural production data from the agricultural census.

Main Results:

• Short-term and annual weather conditions at sending locations were key drivers of migration.
• Agricultural success, influenced by weather, mediated migration flows.
• Migration patterns were more complex than previously understood, extending beyond the Dust Bowl and Southern regions.

Conclusions:

• Environmental factors, particularly weather, played a crucial role in 1930s migration.
• Economic shocks, mediated by agricultural outcomes, significantly shaped population movements.
• This research offers a more complete picture of U.S. migration during a critical historical period.