Stories from the Great Depression

Summary

The video script recounts the hardships faced by Americans during the Great Depression, highlighting President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs that offered hope and relief. Personal stories illustrate the struggles with unemployment, poverty, and the impact of the Dust Bowl. The script also touches on Roosevelt's radio addresses, known as fireside chats, and the collective mourning following his death in 1945. It captures the resilience of the American spirit and the transformative role of federal aid during this challenging era.

Takeaways

• 📈 Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency was marked by a series of economic programs known as the New Deal, aimed at recovery and reform during the Great Depression.
• 🏦 The banking system was on the brink of collapse in 1933, with a quarter of the labor force unemployed and significant drops in prices and production.
• 🏛️ The first 100 days of Roosevelt's administration saw 15 new laws passed to address unemployment, support agriculture, prevent home foreclosures, and stabilize the economy.
• 👩‍💼 The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a significant New Deal agency that provided jobs for millions of Americans, including those in public works projects.
• 📉 The Dust Bowl and economic hardships led to significant migration, with many seeking better opportunities in other regions.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families struggled to make ends meet, often relying on creative solutions and community support to survive the economic crisis.
• 👖 The Great Depression had a profound impact on daily life, with many families unable to afford basic necessities like shoes and clothing.
• 📻 Radio became a vital tool for communication and entertainment during the 1930s, with Roosevelt's fireside chats helping to keep the public informed and connected.
• 🏡 The Farm Security Administration documented the lives of Americans during the Great Depression through photography, capturing the struggles and resilience of the era.
• 🕊️ Despite the hardships, there was a sense of community and shared struggle, with many families helping one another and finding ways to cope.
• 🗞️ The Great Depression is remembered through personal stories and historical records, providing a window into a challenging period in American history.

Q & A

What was the economic situation in the United States in 1933?

In 1933, the United States was in the midst of the Great Depression, with the banking system near collapse, a quarter of the labor force unemployed, and prices and production down by 1/3 from their 1929 levels.

What significant event happened on March 4th, 1933?

On March 4th, 1933, an unprecedented event occurred where every bank in the United States closed its doors.

What was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's approach to address the economic crisis?

President Franklin D. Roosevelt offered hope and promised immediate action to address the economic crisis, introducing a series of programs known as the New Deal to provide relief, recovery, and reform.

How did the Works Progress Administration (WPA) help during the Great Depression?

The WPA was created to alleviate high unemployment rates and provide assistance to the American workforce by creating jobs for the unemployed in public works projects.

What was the impact of the Great Depression on the coal mining industry?

The Great Depression severely impacted the coal mining industry, leading to job losses and poverty, as indicated by the story of a boy being paid 10 cents to light fuses in coal mines due to his small size.

How did the Dust Bowl affect Americans during the Great Depression?

The Dust Bowl led many families from affected states like Oklahoma to migrate in search of work, often resulting in them living in poor conditions and relying on government aid or charity.

What was the role of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in Roosevelt's New Deal?

The TVA was part of the New Deal aimed at improving the economic and social conditions of the Tennessee Valley region by promoting economic development and providing low-cost electricity.

How did the Great Depression affect the lives of children and families?

The Great Depression led to widespread poverty, with families struggling to find work and afford basic necessities. Children often had to wear homemade clothes and go without shoes, and families relied on government aid or charity.

What was the significance of President Roosevelt's 'fireside chats'?

President Roosevelt's 'fireside chats' were a series of radio addresses that informed the public about his plans and progress, making people feel included in the efforts to overcome the Depression.

How did the Great Depression affect the lives of African Americans?

The Great Depression disproportionately affected African Americans, who faced higher unemployment rates and poverty. However, some found opportunities through New Deal programs like the WPA, which provided jobs without discrimination.

What is the legacy of the Great Depression and President Roosevelt's New Deal today?

The legacy of the Great Depression and the New Deal includes a stronger social safety net, financial regulations to prevent economic collapse, and a recognition of the federal government's role in supporting citizens during crises.

Outlines

00:00

📜 The Great Depression and Roosevelt's New Deal

The paragraph discusses the economic hardships faced by Americans during the Great Depression, with banks closing and a quarter of the labor force unemployed. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural speech offered hope and immediate action. It describes the struggles of a cotton mill worker and the migration of people from the South East in search of better jobs. The New Deal programs were introduced to provide employment, support agriculture, prevent home foreclosures, and stabilize the economy. Personal stories include a mother's experience working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the impact of the Dust Bowl on families.

05:01

🏭 The WPA and Struggles of the American Workforce

This paragraph continues the narrative of the Great Depression's impact, focusing on the Works Progress Administration's role in alleviating unemployment. It includes personal accounts of families moving to Tehachapi for work, living conditions near the railroad tracks, and the generosity shown to those in need. The paragraph also touches on the experiences of a young boy working in coal mines and the broader federal initiatives aimed at providing relief and creating jobs.

10:02

🏡 Hardship and Innovation During the Depression

The paragraph shares stories of making ends meet during the Depression, such as making blackberry pies from freely available berries and the creativity of a grandmother who made dresses from remnant fabrics. It also recounts the experiences of a family in San Francisco who lost their house and relied on charity, and the contrast between rural self-sufficiency and urban poverty. The narrative includes a child's perspective on the value of simple pleasures and the resilience of families during tough times.

15:04

📻 Roosevelt's Radio Addresses and the American Spirit

This paragraph highlights the role of radio in the 1930s, especially President Roosevelt's fireside chats that informed and reassured the American public during the crisis in Europe. It discusses the technological advancements of the era and the personal stories of families struggling with unemployment and the impact of the Depression on businesses. The paragraph also reflects on the optimism and hope that Roosevelt's leadership provided, despite the hardships.

20:16

🕯️ The Legacy of FDR and the Great Depression

The paragraph captures the emotional response to President Roosevelt's death and the legacy he left behind. It includes personal accounts of how his death affected the community and the appreciation for the federal programs that helped many during the Depression. The paragraph also discusses the role of photography in documenting the lives of Americans during this period and the efforts to preserve these historical memories for future generations.

25:17

🏛️ Preserving History at the National Archives Southeast Region

The final paragraph shifts focus to the National Archives Southeast Region in Atlanta, Georgia, which houses thousands of original records documenting the settlement and development of the southeast. It invites visitors to explore their history and learn about the lives of people who once lived in the area, emphasizing the importance of preserving these historical narratives.

Keywords

💡Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that lasted from 1929 to the late 1930s. It was characterized by widespread unemployment, poverty, and a significant downturn in industrial production. In the script, the Great Depression is the central theme, with many personal stories illustrating the hardships faced by Americans, such as the closing of banks, high unemployment, and the need for relief programs.

💡Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt, often referred to as FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is known for his implementation of the New Deal, a series of programs aimed at recovering the US economy during the Great Depression. The script highlights his inaugural speech, the New Deal, and his death as significant events that shaped the era.

💡New Deal

The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States during the 1930s. It aimed to provide relief for the unemployed, recovery of the economy, and reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression. The script mentions several New Deal programs, such as the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which provided jobs for the unemployed.

💡Works Progress Administration (WPA)

The WPA was a New Deal agency that provided jobs for millions of people who had lost their jobs during the Great Depression. It was responsible for many public works projects, including the construction of public buildings, roads, and bridges. The script gives an example of the WPA by mentioning how the narrator's mother found employment with the agency at a public library.

💡Dust Bowl

The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s. The script refers to people from Oklahoma and other states affected by the Dust Bowl migrating in search of work, illustrating the widespread impact of environmental disasters during the Great Depression.

💡Economic Crisis

An economic crisis is a situation where economic indicators such as GDP, inflation, and business and consumer confidence show a significant decline. The script describes the economic crisis of the 1930s, with the banking system near collapse, a quarter of the labor force unemployed, and prices and production down by one-third from 1929 levels.

💡Unemployment

Unemployment refers to the state of being without a job and actively seeking work. The script emphasizes the high unemployment rate during the Great Depression, with many people out of work and struggling to find jobs, which was one of the key issues addressed by the New Deal programs.

💡Relief

Relief in the context of the script refers to the aid and support provided to those in need, particularly during times of crisis. President Roosevelt's priority was to provide relief for millions of Americans who found themselves without work, food, or shelter during the Great Depression.

💡Federal Government

The federal government of the United States is the national government, as opposed to state or local governments. The script discusses the belief of President Roosevelt that the federal government needed to take on a larger role in providing for the well-being of the American people during the Great Depression.

💡Oral Histories

Oral histories are personal accounts of events or historical periods, usually in the form of spoken narratives. The script mentions oral histories as a way to visualize and understand the Great Depression for those born after the 1930s, emphasizing the importance of personal stories in preserving historical memory.

💡National Archives

The National Archives is the US government's record-keeping agency, preserving documents and materials that document American history. The script refers to the National Archives in Atlanta, Georgia, as a place where original records documenting the settlement and development of the southeast region are preserved, allowing people to discover their history.

Highlights

Franklin D. Roosevelt's speech in 1933 offered hope during the Great Depression.

In March 1933, all banks closed their doors, highlighting the severity of the economic crisis.

A quarter of the labor force was unemployed, and production was down by 1/3 from 1929 levels.

Roosevelt's first inaugural speech emphasized immediate action to address the crisis.

The New Deal aimed to employ the jobless, improve infrastructure, support agriculture, and stabilize the economy.

Personal accounts from the era reflect the struggles of everyday Americans during the Depression.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was the largest New Deal agency, focusing on unemployment and assistance.

Many Americans moved in search of better job opportunities during the Depression.

Families affected by the Dust Bowl migrated in hopes of finding work.

The WPA provided jobs, including in public libraries, offering a lifeline to many.

The Great Depression led to a rise in charity and government assistance.

President Roosevelt's radio addresses, or fireside chats, informed and reassured the public.

The economic hardship led to innovation, with people finding ways to make ends meet.

The Great Depression had a significant impact on family life and childhood experiences.

Despite the hardships, there was a sense of community and shared struggle among Americans.

The death of President Roosevelt in 1945 was a shock to the nation.

The Farm Security Administration documented the lives of Americans during the Depression through photography.

The National Archives preserves the history and personal stories from the Great Depression for future generations.

Transcripts

[Music]

as Franklin D Roosevelt spoke these

simple and inspiring words in 1933

Americans from coast-to-coast weary from

years of economic hardship were willing

to take the freshly minted president at

his word he offered them hope which was

all that many people had left the

economic hardships brought on by the

Great Depression had reached a pinnacle

by the spring of 1933

on March 4th an unprecedented event had

occurred each and every bank had closed

its doors for some this measure was only

temporary but for a large number the

economic crisis was a permanent reality

the banking system was near collapse a

quarter of the labor force was

unemployed and prices and production

were down by 1/3 from their 1929 levels

during his first inaugural speech

President Roosevelt looked over the

tense cloud in front of the Capitol

anxiously gathered before him and with

unquestionable conviction stated this

nation asks for action and action now my

father cotton mill worker and so we

moved along the time I was 21 years old

I had moved 21 times but we've you know

we didn't have a big house back then and

you didn't have carpet or anything I

think you know Borden's old with

linoleum rug down on top right there

because some of the place really

exceeded ground through the floor we ran

had country closest stolen within miss

Vale and the cotton gin in the south

cotton was

you couldn't get anything for the card

and then good we came along and I had us

take your head cut out cotton production

back in the depression we saw a lot of

people come from South East Kentucky and

Eastern Tennessee because they wanted to

get better jobs there was nothing going

in the coal mines so we had a lot of

people come in that were in bad shape

and they also went across the river to

Cincinnati and there were almost

we're on claves people

hoping they get some day up to Detroit

people found ways to get money to do a

job to get employment to keep the family

going

[Music]

in the first 100 days of the new

administration 15 measures flowed from

the White House to Congress 15 new laws

assured absolute government action to

employ the jobless to improve the

Tennessee Valley to support crop prices

to prevent home foreclosures to insure

bank deposits and to stabilize the

economy Franklin D Roosevelt called

these programs a new deal for the nation

my mother got a job with the WPA one of

the New Deal agencies she worked in the

public library and I think she really

enjoyed that job she talked about it a

lot and it's the only job that she ever

had in her entire life

later on after she marriage she did not

work outside the home and but she talked

a lot when she would take us to the

library as small children she would tell

us about her experiences working for the

WPA in the public library during the

Depression many people from Oklahoma and

other states affected by the Dust Bowl

San Joaquin Valley looking for work some

families were lucky and were able to get

good jobs in Tehachapi working in the

cement plant in the Roman state prison

my parents bought a house on the edge of

town and we had no gas or sewer line I

can still remember when the gas Lange

was late through the alley

the workers wrapped me in a material

that looked like saran wrap around the

pipes the house next door was rented

mostly by family from Oklahoma one

family built a small square Shack behind

the house using rolls of roofing

material to cover the outside walls and

migrant families will live in the shack

for a while before moving somewhere else

looking for work our house was close to

the railroad tracks and I remember men

knocking on our back door and asking for

water and something to eat

my mom would make them a bologna

sandwich I like bread back then these

men would not call all these people

tramps a lot of people remember what I

think is cause but they don't remember

what they made and that makes a whole

lot of difference you know you could buy

a coat for a nickel or a hamburger for a

nickel but trouble was you didn't have a

nickel to buy them when mostly and just

think like that so you know your memory

clouds things a little bit and you tend

to remember the good thing my husband

when he was a small boy he was brought

up in Walker County Alabama

it is a coal mine district and he was

paid 10 cents a shot to go into the coal

mines and to light the fuse on the

blasting powder and then

to get out before the thing explode men

wouldn't do it grown men wouldn't do it

because they couldn't move fast enough

so they hired him because he was small

and wiry and he just he would get out of

it before it blew up well when his

father found out about it he whupped

Vitara

[Music]

the president's first priority was

relief for the millions of Americans who

suddenly found themselves without work

without food without shelter and without

hope he concluded that help for the

downtrodden must come from beyond the

traditional private or local government

sources he believed that the federal

government needed to take on a larger

role in providing for the well-being of

the American people of his many

initiatives the Works Progress

Administration was the largest it was

created in the spring of 1935 and it

further extended the National relief

effort the primary goal of the WPA was

to alleviate the high unemployment rate

and to provide assistance for the

discouraged American workforce story

where they

the fabric and it seems that the fabric

was all one color

so everybody knew if you had that fabric

did it it doesn't be a tight

part of their job part of their pain my

grandmother made dresses for all pearls

that she had two dresses and in this day

and time we don't think of that many but

she was very excited about wearing her

new dress to school but when she got

there the other girls who had a little

bit more money kind of laughed at her

because she had on WBA

but I laughed at her at her statement

she said I didn't care I have another

dress and said that was the most

important but my grandmother was a

seamstress and she worked all of her

life all of her married life and she

would send this and out to collect

remnants from clothing factories and sew

clothes was not a problem it was not an

issue because my grandmother could make

something out of nothing

always she said however shoes they

didn't have shoes because ground I

couldn't make shoes but one of my aunt's

who was 85 shared so many stories with

which she said that she didn't feel that

the Depression had made that much of an

impact on them because they were a

family of nine children so life was just

always a struggle and she didn't really

notice that much because everybody in

the neighborhood and all the other

family members were working just as hard

and struggling just as hard one of the

stories

that the rolling truck would come to

their farm what sleep and if they had

worked hard for their family that we

they got one aid each child there was 12

children they got one egg

I could trade that in for a piece of

candy

my mother tells Tuesday

good that candle taste

they got for another whole week when we

were a little had to go out near the

dump play ball you know use rocks and

stones for bases

my brother and I one of the things that

we love to do all the time

the summertime is to go and pick

blackberries but berries are plentiful

and they're free they grow while

the woods and we would always come home

and I would help her make a pot like

very kind and we loved it and she would

always tell me that we were using her

granite her mother's recipe and bike

very has a very simple dish to make it

doesn't cost very much of the but

berries are free it's just a little

sugar and then a little crust made with

flour and lard and she would tell me

that there were times during the

Depression when black moon pies all that

they had to eat

we were raised in the Sunset District of

San Francisco my dad had an office job

and like so many people in the

prosperous 1920s he was doing well then

the Great Depression hit my dad lost his

job in 1930 his savings were depleted we

were forced to accept charity the term

welfare was not in vogue at the time the

procedure was once a week the Associated

Charities of San Francisco would deliver

boxes of food to needy families we would

watch as the boxes were brought to the

men at first one or two families were

getting aid but as the depression

deepened most of the families were

receiving assistance it was sad to see

men selling apples on the street corners

their clothes were old and shabby and

usually consisted of a pair of old pants

with a suit coat trying to stay warm

on a typical foggy day we lost our house

a cottage at 1933 eighth Avenue which

still stands and is presently occupied

Edward McSweeney June 1994

my grandfather used to talk a whole lot

about the depression and he often stated

that during the Depression that money

was real tight and I remember story he

tells me about his oldest son he said if

you do it right living on the farm you

could always eat and he said he didn't

have to stand in the soup line anything

like that because he was able to raise

his own food and also he had plenty of

cows and chickens and holes for food so

he wasn't hungry but some of the other

things like clothing his family didn't

have many clothes or anything like that

they didn't have much money to buy him

and he stated that his son was

barefooted and he wanted him to go to

school and he didn't have shoes and he

found the nipple and with that nickel he

went and bought his son a pair of shoes

my grandmother she stated that she was

mad at President Hoover at the time and

she felt at that particular time that

the work she had to do was much better

than the work that her grandparents had

to do and you know they were slaves and

she said that wasn't much better than

slave labor my maternal grandmother was

born in Maine in 1920 in the summer of

1929 when she was nine years old her

parents decided to move to Michigan

because some other family members had

found work there

they had a substantial amount of money

in the bank when the stock market

crashed in October of 1929 the banks

closed and they had no access to their

funds over time they both lost their

jobs they struggled for a couple of

years in Michigan in fact they lived

near a state prison and my great-uncle

told me that he remembered people

talking about breaking into the prison

because the prisoners were able to get a

lot of fresh foods from the gardens that

they grew after struggling for a couple

of years in Michigan my

great-grandparents received a letter

from a relative in Maine who said that

he could provide a job for my

great-grandfather in the logging

industry the relative who offered this

job wrote to the state officials on

behalf of my great-grandfather and the

state agreed to provide him with $25 and

a Model T Ford to travel back to Maine

with

it was a journey of mishaps the Model T

Ford that they were given had no fuel

pump like modern cars the gas was

gravity-fed into the engine so that the

car had to go up steep hills in Reverse

and in fact the car was so slow at times

that the family would just get out and

walk beside it

but they eventually made it back to the

main woods where my great-grandfather

worked as a logger for a while near the

town of Andover I know that during that

time loggers who worked hard could make

about a dollar of day cutting cord wood

they used buck saws and axes and hauled

the trees out of the woods using horses

and if they were lucky they could cut

four to six quart of what a day

the 1930s was a decade of tremendous

technological advancement and by 1939

over 80% of Americans had a radio set

although primarily used for

entertainment radio broadcasts quickly

became a tool to inform the public of

the increasing crisis in Europe

Roosevelt steered a steady course and

kept the American audience informed

about his plans and progress through a

series of radio addresses which came to

be called fireside chats these

broadcasts were centered on specific

topics and issues and were delivered in

a warm and simple language that made

people feel they were partners in the

efforts the president was putting forth

when Franklin Roosevelt poised and

self-assured addressed his audience as

my friends most Americans believed they

were exactly that my grandfather had a

store a little country store and

so food but also some other types of

items too and he was very successful

with his business until the depression

came along and he had extended credit to

a lot of people and of course people

were out of work and they were not able

to pay and they didn't pay him that he

couldn't afford to operate the store so

he lost his business and the family

struggled for a long time after that

because there were no jobs it took a

long time for him to find work

particularly in that part of the country

my grandfather was a grocer always had

been a grocer and that I noticed in the

city directories that they were always

moving always moving and she said that

was because he was always looking for a

better location a better neighborhood

where business would be better and they

might be able to improve their finances

but

he eventually went out of business after

25 years of being a grocer his Rhoyne

had been his compassion for the poor

people he gave credit and they couldn't

pay him

they didn't know that they were poor as

such because they have food they have

question where she needs to

a lot of things

she didn't know that she had the basic

things that you need and a big family in

the

the mom was born in 1918 my dad was born

in 1920

both passed away in the last 18 months

or so what I remember most about them

they were great parents great providers

and they were great teachers to all the

McSweeney children as a kid growing up I

remember them speaking not about the

hard times during the 1930s they spoke

rather about Roosevelt's hope and the

optimism and they would tell us stories

over and over again about old-time radio

Jack Armstrong the all-american boy Jack

Benny Amos and Andy they would talk

about all the famous sports team as the

gas house being a baseball the New York

Yankees they told us about how they

could go to the cinema for five cents

and see the Marx Brothers the young

Betty Davis Walt Disney films etc just a

tremendous period to be a young child

growing up and I guess is testimony to

their own parents they kept that side of

the Great Depression in terms of the

negative image away

we were aware it's a degree but most of

my friends was in the same boat we were

so we didn't know much about the script

and said we would see the big houses you

know the people had big homes and things

like that and but we never came in

contact with a much or talk to them much

so we just knew they had a lot more than

we had but there was no whole fact that

we never really desire to be rich the

government we knew you were checking in

for the patient they were coming to

dinner that MPSP my name is Jeff Zucker

what is your name and I told you this is

it I love the names is it but I'd like

to call you Susie is that all right and

I said oh and get what we call him

grote and all of the children call him

doc red cell

[Music]

we have a late bulletin here is a flash

President Roosevelt passed away the

satire at Warm Springs Georgia this

afternoon

at his little white pine cottage atop

the death no Franklin D Roosevelt in his

63rd year it is

George was affectionately called the

little white house they said of beyond

the doubt the syrup over here for me

denied

is pouring out it's simple

president's death came without warning

he had been in 4:35 p.m. Eastern wartime

the presidents died without

forty five PM eastern board I'm in

Washington

[Music]

he was said when you got back from y'all

he thought well if I can get down one

and I prayed with that and he looked at

it he was 63 years old and now but he

had been he looked like he was tired and

but he would always smile when you would

see him

[Music]

when the news came on April 12 1945 that

President Roosevelt had died all

Americans felt the severity of this loss

millions mourned over the death of a man

that most had never met

President Roosevelt died confidently

believing that victory was assured but

never able to fully realize the success

of all that he had accomplished in the

federal programs there seemed to be no

discrimination so that a black person

could get a job with the WPA just as

soon as a white person they loved FDR

and they loved the federal programs

because as black families they felt that

they were really benefiting by those

programs my mother you know who was came

over here in 1914 but she thought I

bruises always the greatest thing

walking

so

yeah she took it badly and a lot of the

neighbors did it was a labor town it was

a savior back then because things were

so bad it was a very difficult time and

it had

it just left so many memories with

people and I think sometimes they were

reluctant to talk about those during the

1930s and early 1940s the Farm Security

Administration a federal agency created

to ease the plight of the farmer

employed a remarkable group of

photographers Dorothea Lange Gordon

Parks and many others to document the

lives and struggles of Americans in

during the Great Depression their work

included some of the most powerful

images of the nation to emerge from

those difficult years many of these

photographs have reached iconic status

in American culture for those born after

the 1930s the Great Depression is

something that can only be visualized

through photography and personal oral

histories these photographs on exhibit

at the National Archives southeast

region inspire family historians to

examine their past and reflect on their

family's life during one of the most

difficult times in American history

through the public programs of the

National Archive southeast region these

histories will be remembered and

preserved for future generations through

our holdings students educators family

historians and the general public have

the opportunity to rub elbows with

presidents war heroes civil rights

leaders and the greatest scientific

minds that the world has ever known

the National Archives in Atlanta Georgia

is home to thousands of original records

documenting the settlement and

development of the southeast these

documents tell intriguing stories of the

people who once inhabited this land and

the history of this unique area we

invite you to visit us in Georgia and

discover your history visit us at WWF

[Music]

you