Unit 3.3 (Part 3)

Summary

The video script delves into the Great Depression's impact on American farmers and African Americans, detailing the overproduction crisis, debt, and environmental disasters leading to economic hardships. It highlights the New Deal's efforts to stabilize agricultural markets, though initially excluding black farm workers. The script also discusses the resilience of African Americans and the pivotal role of Eleanor Roosevelt in advocating for civil rights, as well as the activism of housewives in influencing food prices and policy during the Depression. The summary concludes with the onset of World War II and its eventual economic boon for the U.S.

Takeaways

• 📉 The Great Depression was not only a 1930s issue but also an extension of economic struggles from the 1920s, particularly for farmers who faced overproduction and debt.
• 🌾 Technological advancements in farming led to increased production, which in turn resulted in devaluation of goods due to supply exceeding demand.
• 💔 Farmers attempted to compensate for falling incomes by growing more and taking on debt, which only exacerbated the problem of devalued agricultural products.
• 💰 By 1929, American farmers had accumulated nearly $10 billion in debt, which was unsustainable and contributed to the economic crisis.
• 🌍 Environmental disasters in the 1920s further devastated agricultural regions, leading to mass displacement and migration in search of better opportunities.
• 🏠 The Dust Bowl forced many from Oklahoma and Arkansas to migrate to California, where they faced resistance and a lack of jobs due to the Depression.
• 🛠️ The New Deal's Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was introduced in 1933 to regulate supply and demand, stabilizing prices by paying farmers not to produce certain crops.
• 🏛️ The Supreme Court deemed the AAA unconstitutional in 1937, leading to its reformation and continuation in a revised form to this day.
• 🖤 Black Americans were disproportionately affected by the Depression, with unemployment rates reaching as high as 50% and limited job opportunities even in traditionally secure roles.
• 🔗 The New Deal initially did little to address racial inequalities, with many programs excluding or restricting participation of African Americans due to political considerations and local implementation.
• 🌈 Eleanor Roosevelt played a pivotal role in advocating for racial equality within the New Deal, influencing policy changes and appointments that benefited African Americans.
• 📚 The Federal Writers Project and other New Deal programs provided opportunities for African American authors, contributing to a rich cultural output during the Depression.
• 🛑 Women, particularly housewives, organized against high food prices, leading to successful boycotts and political activism that influenced government policy on food pricing.
• 🏆 The Meat Strike and subsequent activism by housewives led to political representation and policy changes that addressed not only food prices but also broader social issues affecting families.
• 🌐 As the Depression continued in the U.S., the onset of World War II in Europe would eventually provide an economic boost, helping to lift the country out of its economic slump.

Q & A

What was the primary economic issue faced by farmers in the 1920s that contributed to the Great Depression?

The primary economic issue faced by farmers was overproduction. Advances in farming technology made it easier to grow food and raw materials, leading to an excess supply that devalued these goods and contributed to economic hardship.

How did farmers attempt to compensate for the devaluation of their goods during the 1920s?

To compensate for the devaluation of their goods, farmers attempted to grow more, often taking out loans to purchase new machines and additional property, which in turn further devalued their products.

What was the cost discrepancy for a bushel of wheat in 1932, and how did it illustrate the farmers' plight?

In 1932, a bushel of wheat cost 77 cents to produce but sold for only 30 cents at the market. This significant discrepancy highlighted the dire economic situation of farmers, who were unable to cover their production costs.

What environmental catastrophes impacted agricultural regions during the 1920s, and what was their effect on farmers?

Environmental catastrophes, including the Dust Bowl, hit major agricultural regions during the 1920s, destroying farms and crops. This forced millions of farmers, particularly from Oklahoma and Arkansas, to abandon their homes in search of better opportunities.

How did the New Deal address the agricultural problems during the Great Depression?

The New Deal addressed agricultural problems through the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) of 1933, which gave Congress the power to regulate the supply and demand of farm goods to ensure prices did not fall too low, by paying farmers not to produce certain crops.

Why were Black Americans more severely affected by the Great Depression compared to their white counterparts?

Black Americans were more severely affected due to higher unemployment rates, which reached as high as 50%, and the fact that jobs traditionally held by African Americans were given to white women, leaving them with limited job opportunities and lower wages.

How did the New Deal initially fail to address the suffering of Black Americans, and what changes were made later?

Initially, the New Deal did not address the suffering of Black Americans due to FDR's reluctance to alienate southern voters and maintain segregation policies. Later, under pressure and influenced by Eleanor Roosevelt, FDR appointed African American officials to New Deal agencies and signed Executive Order 7046 to ban discrimination in the Works Progress Administration.

What was the role of the Federal Writers Project in providing opportunities for African American authors during the Great Depression?

The Federal Writers Project offered training and job opportunities to young authors, including African Americans, enabling influential writers like Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright to develop their skills and publish acclaimed works.

How did women organize against the meat industry during the Great Depression, and what was the outcome of their efforts?

Women organized mass meetings and city-wide boycotts of butcher shops to challenge high meat prices and the industry's monopoly. Their activism led to a national price reduction, political advancements, and a shift in perception of housewives as political actors.

What was the significance of the Meat Strike and housewife activism in bringing women from different races and classes together?

The Meat Strike and housewife activism were significant as they united women from various racial and socioeconomic backgrounds around a common cause, demonstrating the collective power of women in influencing economic policies and societal changes.

How did the activism of housewives during the Great Depression lead to long-term effects on government policies and societal issues?

The activism of housewives made family, home, and motherhood political issues, leading to government policies that addressed food prices, housing, and community development. Their efforts continue to influence government actions related to these areas today.

Outlines

00:00

🌾 Agricultural Struggles and the New Deal

The first paragraph discusses the economic hardships faced by American farmers during the 1920s and the early years of the Great Depression. It highlights the issue of overproduction due to advancements in farming technology, leading to a devaluation of agricultural goods. Farmers, in an attempt to compensate, took on significant debt, which only exacerbated the problem. The Dust Bowl further devastated agricultural regions, forcing many to migrate westward in search of better opportunities. The New Deal's Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) was introduced in 1933 to regulate supply and demand, but it faced legal challenges and had to be rewritten. The AAA's policy of paying farmers not to produce certain goods indirectly affected black farm workers and sharecroppers, who were not covered by the program, contributing to higher unemployment rates and social inequality among African Americans.

05:02

🌈 Social Activism and Political Change During the Depression

The second paragraph delves into the social activism and political changes that occurred during the Great Depression. It starts by discussing the efforts of Eleanor Roosevelt in advocating for racial equality and influencing her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to address racial discrimination within the New Deal programs. The paragraph also covers the significant impact of housewives' activism, particularly in the meat industry, which led to a nationwide boycott and eventually a reduction in meat prices. The activism of housewives extended beyond economic issues, influencing political representation and policy-making at various levels of government. The paragraph concludes by noting the broader implications of these social movements, which contributed to a shift in societal perceptions of housewives and their role in politics and policy, as well as the onset of World War II in Europe, which would later have economic repercussions for the United States.

Keywords

💡Great Depression

The Great Depression refers to a severe worldwide economic downturn that took place mostly during the 1930s, beginning in the United States. It is a central theme of the video, illustrating the widespread economic hardship and its various social impacts. The script mentions how the Depression was an extension of the hardships faced in the 1920s, particularly by farmers, and how it led to massive unemployment and debt.

💡Overproduction

Overproduction is an economic term that describes the situation where the supply of a product exceeds the demand for it in the market. In the context of the video, overproduction in agriculture led to a surplus of goods, which devalued them and contributed to the economic struggles faced by farmers, as they had to grow more to compensate for the falling prices.

💡Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)

The Agricultural Adjustment Act was a piece of legislation passed in 1933 as part of the New Deal, aimed at stabilizing the agricultural economy by controlling the supply and demand of farm goods. The video explains how the AAA allowed Congress to regulate these factors, including paying farmers not to farm, to prevent prices from falling too low.

💡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 video describes how the Dust Bowl forced many farmers from Oklahoma and Arkansas to abandon their homes in search of better agricultural opportunities in California, contributing to the displacement and hardship of the era.

💡New Deal

The New Deal was a series of programs and projects initiated in the United States during the 1930s in response to the Great Depression. The video highlights the New Deal's role in addressing various economic and social issues, such as agricultural problems and unemployment, through programs like the AAA and the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

💡Black Americans

Black Americans, as mentioned in the video, were disproportionately affected by the Great Depression, with unemployment rates reaching as high as 50%. The term is used to discuss the specific challenges faced by African Americans during this period, including discrimination in employment and the limitations of New Deal programs in addressing their needs.

💡Segregation

Segregation refers to the policy or practice of separating people based on race. The video discusses how segregation influenced the New Deal programs, with many of them either not considering African Americans or outright restricting their participation due to the political climate and the need to maintain support from Southern voters.

💡NAACP

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed to fight discrimination against African Americans. The video mentions the NAACP's activism during the Great Depression, including challenging Jim Crow laws and advocating for anti-lynching legislation.

💡Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, is highlighted in the video for her role in advocating for civil rights and racial equality. Her actions, such as dining with a black woman and pushing her husband on race relations, contributed to a shift in the New Deal's approach to African Americans.

💡Housewives' Activism

Housewives' Activism refers to the organized efforts by women, primarily housewives, to address economic issues such as food prices and living conditions during the Great Depression. The video describes how these women organized boycotts, lobbied the government, and even entered politics to fight for their causes, demonstrating the political power of women in this era.

💡World War II

World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The video concludes by noting that the onset of World War II had a significant economic impact on the United States, helping to bring the country out of the Great Depression by stimulating industrial and agricultural production.

Highlights

The Great Depression was an extension of hardships from the 1920s, particularly for farmers who faced overproduction and income devaluation.

Farmers attempted to compensate for income loss by growing more and taking on debt, leading to a $10 billion debt by 1929.

Environmental catastrophes in the 1920s further devalued agricultural goods and led to the Dust Bowl, displacing millions of farmers.

The New Deal's Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 aimed to regulate supply and demand by paying farmers not to farm, affecting various raw goods.

The Supreme Court deemed the Agricultural Adjustment Act unconstitutional in 1937, leading to a rewritten law that remains in effect today.

Black Americans were disproportionately affected by the Depression, with unemployment rates reaching up to 50% and limited job opportunities.

The New Deal initially did little to aid Black Americans, with many programs excluding them or perpetuating segregation.

Eleanor Roosevelt's activism and influence on FDR led to a shift in policy, including the appointment of Black officials and the banning of discrimination in the Works Progress Administration.

African American authors like Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright benefited from New Deal programs, contributing to a rich literary heritage.

Housewives organized against the meat industry in 1935, leading to a nationwide boycott and government intervention to lower food prices.

The Meat Strike brought women from different races and classes together, highlighting the power of collective action for social change.

Housewives' activism led to political advancements, with women like Mary Zuk elected on platforms focused on cost control during the Depression.

Housewives' activism had long-term effects on government policy, making family, home, and motherhood political issues.

The perception of housewives shifted from passive consumers to active participants in advocating for social and economic change.

The onset of World War II in 1939 had a significant economic impact on the United States, helping to bring it out of the Great Depression.

Transcripts

While the Great Depression was considered an experience of the 1930s, the economic downturn

was an extension of their growing hardships in the 1920s. Farmers did not partake in the

prosperities of the 1920s, bringing in ⅔ less income than most Americans. The problem

was ultimately one of overproduction. Growing food and raw materials had gotten easier thanks

to farming technologies, but that meant more of these goods were on the market, devaluing

them (again, issue of supply and demand). In order to compensate, farmers had to grow

more, often taking out loans to buy new machines and additional property. By 1929, America

farmers had amassed a debt of almost $10 billion. All this did was devalue their goods more.

In 1932, a bushel of wheat cost 77 cents to produce but sold for only 30 cents at the

market. On the other end of the spectrum, environmental

catastrophes hit every major agricultural region during the 1920s, wiping out their

farms and products. During the Great Depression the Dust Bowl would force millions of Oklahoma

and Arkansas farmers to abandon their homes and search for agricultural opportunities

in California, the perceived promise land. Upon arrival they were met with resistance.

California was suffering through the Depression as well and didn’t have jobs either.

The New Deal stepped in to solve this agricultural problem. Created in 1933, the Agricultural

Adjustment Act empowered Congress to regulate supply and demand of farm goods to make sure

that prices never feel too low. This is achieved by paying farmers not to farm. Raw goods like

cotton, rice, peanuts, corn, and even milk were part of the AAA program. In 1937, the

Supreme Court, which would be a thorn in Roosevelt’s side, throughout much of the Depression, determined

the act unconstitutional. It was promptly rewritten and the new law put into effect

and it remains in effect today. Black American were hit harder by the Depression

than their white counterparts. In 1932, black unemployment outpaced the national average,

rising as high as 50%, and it was even worse in the cities. The few jobs that should have

been secure for African Americans, like domestic positions, were given to white women instead.

Now whites weren’t too good to take the work that they had been doing for decades.

Pushed out by white women, black women tried to find work as day laborers, but the pay

was miniscule, averaging $5/week. Despite these challenges, African Americans continued

to move to cities, making up half of the urban population on the eve of World War II.

The New Deal did very little to ease the suffering of Black America. FDR, worried about the support

of southern voters, refused to address civil rights issues during his first term. Under

pressure to maintain segregation policy in the federal government, many New Deal programs

did not concern themselves with African Americans or outright restricted their participation.

The AAA, helped farmers by regulating prices, but in getting paid not to farm, they had

no need for black farm workers or sharecroppers, who were not covered by the program. There

was no stipulation that the money farmers received not to farm had to go to those they

would normally employ. Moreover, because organizations like the CCC were run by local governments,

racism prevailed in allowing mostly white men to serve in the Corps. Lastly, because

of the way Social Security was set-up, only ⅓ of all blacks qualified for benefits.

The work that they overwhelmingly did was not covered.

African Americans would spend much of the early years of the Depression fighting against

these inequalities. Most African Americans coped by turning to their communities, a practiced

dating back to slavery. Black Americans would babysit for one another, rent out spare beds

to travelers, share tools and supplies, and supplement their food through fishing and

hunting. The activism of organizations like the NAACP

continued in spite of the nation’s economic turmoil. They took Jim Crow laws to court

and tried to push through Anti-Lynching laws. But Roosevelt’s resistance to Civil Rights

hindered their progress. A major catalyst for change was Eleanor Roosevelt.

In 1933, she was photographed having lunch with a black woman in Florida. This created

an uproar throughout the nation, which pushed Eleanor to become an activist; She thought

it was ridiculous that having a meal with a black person was so controversial. And so,

both privately and publicly, Eleanor Roosevelt pushed her husband on the topic of race relations,

demanding that he address the struggles of African Americans.

By the mid-1930s, Roosevelt had appointed 45 officials to various New Deal agencies.

In 1935, FDR signed Executive Order 7046 which officially banned discrimination in the Works

Progress Administration. As a result of his turnaround on race, Roosevelt went on to win

76% of the black urban population in the 1936 presidential election, more than any previous

Democrat in American history. African American inclusion in New Deal programs

took a lot of work and time, but it had a huge impact. For instance, the Federal Writers

Project offered training and job opportunities to young authors, including African Americans.

As a result, influential black authors, like Zora Neale Hurston, developed their skills

and were able to publish their books. Richard Wright was one such writer and through the

FWP, he was able to publish his 1940 classic Native Son, which knocked Grapes of Wrath

from the top of the best-seller list. African Americans weren’t the only ones

pushing for the federal government to do more during the Great Depression. Over the course

of summer 1935, women throughout the nation organized against the meat industry. Grappling

with high prices and trying to feed their families, Chicago mothers started to organize

mass meetings to challenge the Chicago meat industry’s monopoly on food prices. Their

meetings quickly spread to New York in May where housewives organized a city-wide boycott

of butcher shops in an effort to bring down prices; 4,500 shops closed down due to lack

of business. By June, cities nationwide joined in the New York boycott.

Feeling emboldened by the mass demonstrations, a delegation of housewives went to Washington

D.C. on June 15 to put pressure on the government to address meat prices. Surprised and overwhelmed,

the Department of Agriculture acquiesced to their demands and Congress investigated the

meat industry and pushed for a national price reduction. Furthermore, the Meat Strike and

housewife activism that follow was noteworthy for the way in which it brought women from

different races and classes together for a single cause.

The success of the Meat Strike led to political advancements of housewives. They no longer

pushed for politicians to listen to their demands, they became politicians. In 1936,

Mary Zuk was elected to her local city council on a so-call housewife platform, insisting

on rent, utility, and food control to keep costs down during the Depression. From 1935

to 1941, an annual housewife delegation would go to D.C and fight for lower food prices.

The work of these women helped alleviate the most devastating years of the Depression.

They helped to lower the price of food, which didn’t necessarily benefit farmers. Black

women in a southern town forced the electric company to lower costs by hanging wet laundry

on power lines. Housewives in New York stopped tenement evictions by giving speeches out

of their apartment windows and threatening police officers with hot kettles of water

if they tried to remove people from their homes. Housewives demanded the construction

of more homesteads, schools, and parks. This activism had long-term effects. Even today,

government, whether federal or local, has continued to address these very issues in

society because these housewives made family, the home, and motherhood a political issue.

Up to this point, many had perceived housewives as passive consumers of goods while their

husbands were aggressive wage-earners. Labor unions had existed to demand improvement to

the lives and work of these men, but no such organization acted on behalf of women their

domestic work, which was just as essential. As all these events were happening in the

United States, a war was looming in Europe. In the Fall of 1939, Germany would invade

Poland, setting off World War II. Just like the first World War, the conflict in Europe

would greatly benefit America’s economy, bringing it out of the Great Depression.