The boll weevil is a pest that primarily targets cotton plants and significantly impacted the cotton industry in the Southern United States, particularly in Georgia, during the early 20th century. The introduction of the boll weevil in the late 19th century led to widespread crop failures and economic distress for cotton farmers, prompting them to diversify their crops and adopt new agricultural practices. This pest is closely associated with the Great Migration, as many African Americans moved from the rural South to urban areas in search of better opportunities due to the economic devastation inflicted by the boll weevil and other factors.
Related historical events and movements include the rise of the Progressive Era in the early 1900s, which sought to address various social and economic issues, and the Great Depression which further strained the agricultural economy. Key figures might include farmers who adapted to the changing economic landscape, agricultural scientists who worked on pest management, and leaders of African American communities who sought better lives during the migration.
In summary, the boll weevil's devastation of the cotton industry marked a significant turning point in Georgia's agricultural history, forcing farmers to diversify their crops and contributing to the demographic shift known as the Great Migration, which forever changed the social and economic fabric of Georgia and the South.