Depression and New Deal Topic 15 Depression and New Deal

How did the Great Depression affect African-Americans and why?

The worst of the Great Depression was approximately 1933, but while it lasted until the early 1940s when World War II finally drove the unemployment rate back to pre-depression levels, it stabilized after 1933’s nadir.

Desperation almost to the point of starvation

No social safety net meant quick disposal of all assets to avoid starvation

The African-American unemployment rate was even worse than others because of the availability of white workers to white employers.

Hard-hit charities excluded blacks

African-Americans servants and domestic workers were often the first let go.

As the Great Depression began, how did national politics reflect African-American interests?

Warren Harding (1921-1923) defended his wife’s invitation to African-American leaders to attend the White House. But vigorously denied accusations that he had black ancestors.

1920s Republican presidents (left to right): Warren Harding (1921-1923); Calvin Coolidge (1923-1928); Herbert Hoover (1928-1932)

Some suggested that African-Americans did not need assistance because despite the persistent racism, they too had benefitted from the booming 1920s economy steered by Republicans

In the 1920s some Republicans had begun to recruit white Southerners with racist overtones, which angered many African-Americans

Oscar DePriest was the first black congressman since Reconstruction and the first from the North. He was a Republican given black’s historic ties to the GOP

Arthur W. Mitchell followed DePriest to Congress in 1934 and became the first black Democrat to serve in Congress

How and why did the New deal affect African-American politics?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) and his government activism to help the poor known as the New Deal attracted blacks

Bethune (left) with Eleanor Roosevelt (middle) Mary McLeod Bethune

Marian Anderson

FDR’s “Black Cabinet”

The New Deal did in many respects help blacks

Despite FDR, how was the New Deal era still bad for African-Americans?

FDR chose not to do more, such as propose civil rights legislation, for fear of angering Southern conservative Democrats, thus derailing his New Deal agenda

In other ways, however, New Deal programs discriminated against blacks

Scottsboro Defendants

A flier calling for African-Americans to rally

What was some of the reaction to New Deal-era racism?

Richard Wright

Nation of Islam

Elijah Muhammad