Many people moved to new homes.
They left big cities. They went to new towns. This happened for many reasons. Some people wanted to live in new places. Can you think of a new place?
Many people moved to new homes.
They left big cities. They went to new towns. This happened for many reasons.
In the United States, many white families moved away. They moved to places far from cities. This happened as cities changed. Some people moved because of new laws.
Some cities also began to look old. This made some people want to leave.
They moved to find better things.
In other lands, like Africa, many people moved too. They left because of wars or new leaders. They wanted to find safe places to live.
People move to find a new life. It is a big change for them.
White flight is when large groups of white people move away. They often leave cities for new areas. This can happen slowly or very fast.
In the United States, this happened a lot in the 1950s and 1960s. Many white families moved to the suburbs. Some moved because cities were changing. Others moved because of new laws about schools. Some areas also faced urban decay. This means buildings and streets were not well kept.
Some experts say racism caused these moves. Others say money and jobs played a part. In some places, banks made it hard for minority groups to get help. This made those neighborhoods struggle.
This also happened in Africa. In South Africa, many white people left after 1995. They cited crime and political changes as reasons. In Zimbabwe, many white people left during a war. They also left when the government changed. Some people called these moves the "chicken run." People move for many reasons, but it changes how cities look.
White flight describes the movement of large groups of white people from one area to another. This often happens when a neighborhood becomes more diverse with different races or cultures. People might move to suburbs or rural areas to live in places that are more similar to where they came from. This can happen very slowly or quite suddenly. Sometimes, people move from older suburbs to new towns. In other cases, they move from the northern United States to warmer places in the South or West.
Many things can cause people to move to new homes. In the United States, some people moved because of the Great Migration. This was when many Black people moved from the rural South to cities in the North and West. Historians also point to unfair business practices. For example, redlining and mortgage discrimination made it hard for minority groups to get help. This caused some city neighborhoods to struggle with overcrowding or broken buildings. This is sometimes called urban decay.
This movement has a long history in many parts of the world. In the late 1800s, many white Americans moved from Southern states like Alabama to other regions. In the 1950s and 1960s, white families moved out of cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Oakland. This happened during the civil rights movement. In the 1970s, some families moved again because of new rules about school busing. A scientist named Morton Grodzins studied this in 1958. He found a "tipping point" where people would decide to leave a neighborhood very quickly.
Mathematical models help explain why neighborhoods can become separated. An economist named Thomas Schelling wrote about this in 1969. He used a "checkerboard model" to show how segregation happens. He found that even if people want to live in mixed neighborhoods, they often choose to live with people similar to themselves. If enough people leave, it creates a domino effect. This makes even more people decide to move out. This can lead to large groups of people living in very different areas.
White flight also happened in parts of Africa. In South Africa, about 800,000 white people left after 1995. Some left because of crime or changes in the government. In Zimbabwe, many white people left during the Rhodesian Bush War. Between 1960 and 1976, many people moved in and out of the country. Some people used the phrase "chicken run" to describe those who left. By the time Zimbabwe became a new republic in 1980, many more people were moving away. These changes shaped how those countries look today.
White flight, also called white exodus, describes the large-scale movement of white populations. These people move from areas becoming more diverse to more homogenous regions. This migration can be sudden or gradual. It often involves moving from cities to suburbs or exurban areas. Sometimes, it involves moving from older suburbs to rural areas. In the United States, it has also meant moving from the Northeast or Midwest to the South or West.
Several complex factors drive this movement. Historians suggest population pressures played a major role. This includes the Great Migration, where Black people moved from the rural South to Northern and Western cities. Economic reasons and racism also contribute to the trend. Business practices like redlining and mortgage discrimination made it difficult for minority groups. These practices caused overcrowding and physical deterioration in certain neighborhoods. This process is often called urban decay.
Researchers have identified specific mechanisms for how this happens. In 1958, political scientist Morton Grodzins identified a "tipping point." He argued that once the proportion of non-white residents reaches a certain limit, white residents move out. This creates a domino effect. In 1969, economist Thomas Schelling used a "checkerboard model" to explain segregation. He showed that even if individuals prefer mixed neighborhoods, their combined decisions can lead to total segregation. If a critical level of other ethnicities is reached, residents may make rapid decisions to leave.
This phenomenon has deep historical roots in the United States. During the 1950s and 1960s, middle-class white populations moved out of cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Oakland. This occurred during the civil rights movement. In the 1970s, attempts to desegregate schools through busing led to more families moving away. Research from Indiana University in 2018 looked at 27,891 Census tracts. It found that between 2000 and 2010, 3,252 areas experienced white flight. These areas saw an average loss of 40 percent of their original white population. The study found this was more likely in middle-class neighborhoods.
White flight has also occurred on a global scale, particularly in Africa. In South Africa, about 800,000 white people left after 1995. A 2009 report cited high rates of violent crime as a primary reason. Other reasons included political instability and concerns about affirmative action programs. This large emigration of highly educated people has caused skills shortages in the country. This movement shows how political and social changes can drive mass migration.
In Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia, the movement was also significant. During the Rhodesian Bush War, many white men left due to military commitments. Between 1960 and 1976, 160,182 whites immigrated to the region, while 157,724 departed. This turnover affected the economy, causing slumps in construction and retail. People used slang terms like "chicken run" or "owl run" to describe those leaving. After Zimbabwe became a republic in 1980, white emigration peaked at 53,000 people. Between 1982 and 2000, the country saw a net loss of 100,000 white residents.
Understanding white flight helps us see how cities and societies change. It connects to ideas like environmental racism and urban decentralization. Geographers like Laura Pulido note that these historical processes shape modern environments. The movement of people changes the makeup of neighborhoods and the economy of entire nations. It shows how individual decisions, when added together, can transform the world around us.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (2)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.