California drew many migrant families, often referred to as "Okies," seeking work during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. The promise of agricultural jobs, particularly in the Central Valley, attracted those fleeing economic hardship and environmental devastation in Oklahoma and other states. The influx of these families significantly shaped California's demographic and cultural landscape, as they contributed to the labor force in farming and other industries.
California
Article Four
The Dust Bowl of the 1930s lasted about a decade. The primary area it effected was the southern Plains. The northern Plains were not hit so badly but the drought, the blowing dust, and the decline of agriculture in the region had a nationwide effect. The loss of agricultural production helped to lengthen the Depression, not only in the US but worldwide. The displaced farmers became the migrants described in John Steinbeck's, Grapes of Wrath. Families from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada and Arkansas, packed what they could in cars and trucks and headed west. Most were aiming for California where they would become a class of migrant farmers, following the crops during the harvesting season. Poor farming techniques and years of depleting the soil led to the soil becoming susceptible to the winds. And when the winds came, the soil was picked up and "day became night."
congress must not interfere with a state's internal affairs
Local
California
California
The primary pull factor that drew Okies to California during the Dust Bowl era was the promise of better economic opportunities, particularly in agriculture. The perception of fertile land and a booming job market in California's farms attracted many displaced families seeking to escape the harsh conditions and poverty of the Great Plains. Additionally, the hope for a better quality of life and the potential for prosperity in the Golden State further motivated their migration.
Migrant workers are forced to travel across the country for work, and have no job security. If employment was made permanent, it would allow them to settle in one place, and enable their children to receive an education. Due to their families being forced to move for seasonal work, many migrant children have spotted school attendance records, and few graduate.
In Washington State
California
The term "Okies" was used to refer to migrants from Oklahoma who moved to California during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s in search of work. The term became a derogatory label that implied poverty, hardship, and a lack of education.
Okies, hicks, country bumpkins, yokels, rustic, oafs, hayseeds,
A migrant is anyone who moves from one place to another place. A migrant worker moves from place to place in search of work, usually following crop harvesting from one State to the next. Becoming a migrant has far fewer pros than to just stay in one place, get a job, and settle down.
The Okies, or Dust Bowl Refugees, were impoverished farmers primarily from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri who were severely affected by the Dust Bowl during the 1930s. As the Great Plains faced devastating drought and dust storms, many sought better opportunities and migrated to California in search of work and a more stable life. This mass exodus highlighted the struggles of the Great Depression and the resilience of those seeking a fresh start.
Migrant workers in the 1920's would typically have a somewhat poor state of health. Their life expectancy was much lower than the average.
At least 3 million people in the US were directlyaffected in some way by the dust storms or loss of farmland. Several million more were indirectly affected in industrial employment.In Oklahoma, 300,000 residents (nearly 15% of the state population) relocated during the late 1930s, and some of them, called "Okies," ended up as migrant workers farther west, especially in California.