What was the "Black Exodus" primarily characterized by?

The "Black Exodus" refers to a significant movement in the late 19th century, particularly around the 1870s, in which many African Americans left the Southern United States to migrate primarily to Kansas. This migration was largely a response to the harsh realities of post-Civil War life in the South, characterized by systemic racism, economic oppression, and the oppressive sharecropping system that limited opportunities for African Americans.

During this time, Kansas was viewed as a land of opportunity and freedom, partly due to its historical association with anti-slavery sentiments and the belief that it could offer better living conditions and prospects for African Americans seeking to escape the difficulties in the South. The movement led to the establishment of all-black settlements and communities in Kansas, where migrants hoped to build new lives free from the oppressive conditions they experienced in the South.

The other choices do not accurately capture the nature of the "Black Exodus." Migration to southern states does not reflect the movement's core, nor does the establishment of black colonies in the South, which contradicts the very reason for the migration. Additionally, while Kansas did play a role in discussions around abolition, the early abolition of slavery is not the defining characteristic of the "Black Exodus." Instead, it was the migration