The Enduring Character: Exploring the Great Depression through WPA prints from Mississippi University for Women’s permanent collection

Table of Contents Review Video: Crash Course US History Setting the Stage for the New Deal The Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration The New Deal The Works Progress Administration Federal Project Number One Federal Art Project WPA Prints at The W Resources *The Table of Contents can be accessed from any slide by clicking this icon 

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Setting the Stage for the New Deal The Great Depression: Worldwide economic depression which began in the United States and spread to the rest of the industrialized world Unemployment skyrocketed People in both industrialized cities and rural farming communities were affected Lasted until 1939 in U.S.

Setting the Stage for the New Deal President Herbert C. Hoover (1929-1933) Initially opposed providing federal aid to combat the Depression Believed this would trespass on the duties of state governments and philanthropic agencies such as charities to provide aid to those in need President Herbert C. Hoover (1929-1933) Initially opposed providing federal aid to combat the Depression Believed this would trespass on the duties of state governments and philanthropic agencies such as charities to provide aid to those in need Relied on Public Works Projects like the Hoover Dam to create employment At the start of Hoover’s presidency, unemployment was at 8.1% - by the end, it had reached 25% Relied on Public Works Projects like the Hoover Dam to create employment At the start of Hoover’s presidency, unemployment was at 8.1% - by the end, it had reached 25% Steel Riggers – No. 3 – Bay Bridge, Arthur George Murphy, 1936

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) Followed Herbert Hoover after one term in office Hoover was immensely unpopular due to his failing to deal with the Depression Roosevelt won the election with the promise of a New Deal Only president in U.S. history to serve three terms Title, Artist Unknown

The New Deal Enacted by Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression Series of programs introduced during the thirties to address problems caused by the Depression Provided aid to unemployed, farmers, the youth, and the elderly Two parts: First New Deal – financial focus Second New Deal – more liberal, focus on social reforms Here are a few familiar programs created by the New Deal: The Social Security Act, U.S. Housing Authority, Tennessee Valley Authority The Chemist, Lawrence E. Kupferman

The Works Progress Administration Largest and most ambitious of the New Deal projects Renamed the Works Projects Administration in 1939 Employed 8.5 million workers overall 3.5 million at its peak in 1938 Banana Man. Jacob Kainen

The Works Progress Administration Put the unemployed to work on public projects such as parks, roads, bridges, dams, schools, post offices, and other public buildings and structures Made the federal government by far the largest employer in the United States Its goal was not full employment, but rather to provide a paid job for each household’s “breadwinner” Gas Station, Theodore C. Polos

The Works Progress Administration Was split into many divisions to manage different aspects of reemploying the populace Most WPA projects were sponsored by states or communities, though federal funded projects lasted through 1939 Nearly every community in the U.S. has at least one public building or space built by WPA workers Banana Man. Jacob Kainen

The Works Progress Administration In the early years of the WPA, the goal of the project was to work on improving infrastructure Projects such as highways, bridges, water conservation facilities, and bringing electricity to rural areas were the focus The Royal Patio Restaurant (New Orleans, Knute August Heldner

Federal Project Number One Aimed at those who were less- suited for the manual labor typical of other WPA projects Employed thousands of artists, actors, stagehands, writers, musicians, and more Included the Federal Theater Project, Federal Writers’ Project, Federal Music Project, Federal Art Project, and Historical Records Survey The Sea Lion’s Pool, Raymond White Skolfield, 1936

Federal Art Project Division of Federal Project Number One Employed thousands of artists across the United States Five thousand at its peak, with estimates of over ten thousand total Received a basic wage of $23.50 a week Sought to bring art and artists into the everyday life of communities through community art centers, exhibitions, and classes The Sea Lion’s Pool, Raymond White Skolfield, 1936

WPA Prints at the W MUW has a collection of around 120 prints made by WPA artists Collection was amassed some time during the 1940’s Fifteen of these were chosen for the online exhibit Themes were work, diversion, and place Amusement Park, Ann Nooney, 1936

Resources “WPA Federal Art Project,” Encyclopædia Britannica “Federal Project Number One (Project One) (1935)” LivingNewDeal.Org “Federal Art Project,” Library of Congress “Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration,” The Art Story To learn more about MUW Gallery’s The Enduring Character Exhibition, WPA prints, and the artists featured, visit our online exhibit at (insert link here)