The Exodusters
When the huge dust storms began rolling through the plains, millions of farmers, unable to pay their mortgages, left their land. They piled all their belongings onto their car, if they had one, and set off. Most went to California. When they arrived, they discovered that there were not enough jobs. Those who left were known as “Exodusters” or “Okies," even though only 25% of them were from Oklahoma. The sheer number of those who left was in itself a turning point. Approximately 2.5 million people left the Great Plains during this time, raising the population of California by 20%. Those farmers that stayed, however, would need to change their practices. They would need someone to lead them.