Part 3: Depression to the Present | Hidden Stories: Montana’s Black Past

Dwindling opportunities and increased discriminatory practices, including policies set by labor unions and companies like the Anaconda Company, discouraged Black Americans from moving to Montana during the Great Migration. Montana saw a significant decline in its Black population as individuals and families left for employment and educational opportunities elsewhere. Some Black Montanans, like Alma Smith Jacobs and Octavia Bridgewater, pursued education outside Montana but returned to make a difference in their communities. Black women’s clubs and the Black Student Union created change and made Montana’s Black population more visible.

NOTE: The second asset includes outdated language in the video and closed captions [at markers 00:41–00:45, 02:37–02:45, 07:59–8:07, 08:14–08:23] that is no longer in use and that may be considered offensive or inappropriate by some.