Reference Materials - WPA - The Great Depression
Artificial collection of reference materials including articles, political flyers, primary source materials, and other ephemera pertaining to the Great Depression, WPA, and related agencies.
📖 Glossary of Rural Relief Terms - Understanding WPA Farm Assistance (1938)
"Glossary of Terms - Rural Relief," published as part of the WPA’s Research Monograph VIII (1937), serves as a comprehensive reference guide for understanding key terms used in the study of rural relief programs during the Great Depression. This glossary provides precise definitions for agricultural, economic, and social terms that were critical to relief efforts.
For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this essential document clarifies the language of rural relief, making it easier to interpret primary sources from the 1930s. It is particularly valuable for researchers studying New Deal programs, social welfare history, and agricultural policies.
The Work Progress Administration (WPA) played a critical role in providing employment during the Great Depression, offering millions of Americans an opportunity to earn a living while contributing to public projects. This review of WPA work assignment forms, reassignment slips, and reclassification records reveals the intricate process used to track workers, allocate jobs, and manage shifting workforce needs.
For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, these records are an invaluable primary source that sheds light on how workers navigated federal employment, how the government structured relief efforts, and how job classifications changed over time.
🎖 WPA Workers Association: The Forgotten Labor Movement of the New Deal
The WPA Workers Association Membership Card and Union Pinback Button offer a fascinating look into the collective efforts of WPA workers during the Great Depression. These artifacts provide a rare glimpse into the grassroots labor movements that sought to represent and protect the interests of workers employed under the Works Progress Administration (WPA)—a cornerstone of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.
For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, these objects offer an invaluable connection to the daily lives, struggles, and aspirations of the working class during one of the most challenging economic periods in American history.
