Beginning in 1929, a series of alarming events shook the very foundations of the US; the 1930’s became a decade of misery and despair. This period would come to be known as: The Great Depression Farmers. Workers. Women & Children. None were spared. This is their story.

In one week in Oct. 1929, the stock market lost $30 billion; $14 billion on Black Tuesday alone In today’s currency that would be over 370 billion dollars

Panicked citizens immediately rushed to the banks, fearing their savings would be lost; this overload quickly caused the banking industry to collapse.

Between 1929 and 1933, the Dow Jones declined by 89%. It did not recover fully until 1955.

3 million children left school; thousands of schools cut operating hours or shut down completely.

From , and in some areas until 1940, the Midwest experienced a severe drought.

Large-scale land clearing had depleted anchor grasses and severely loosened topsoil, allowing huge dust storms to form

These storms destroyed land, houses, and roads; they killed many and displaced millions

This “dust bowl”, coupled with plummeting grain prices, drove many farmers to bankruptcy.

750,000 farms were lost between

Millions were displaced; many headed for California looking for work. Many simply wandered in search of food, housing, and work

Industrial workers were hit as well; by 1935 the GDP had fallen by 50%

Unemployment reached a high of around 25%. An additional quarter of the population endured wage cuts and reduced hours.

“Okies”

A “Hooverville”

An abandoned brick factory

Christmas Dinner

A bread line; meal assistance was provided by private organizations and individuals, and later the government

Democrat F. D. Roosevelt was elected in 1933; he promised government aid and an end to the hands-off policy

He established a myriad of government agencies, including the Civilian Conservation Corps

The CCC was used to improve national infrastructure; workers were housed in work camps

Workers were given $30 weekly; at its height, the CCC employed close to 500,000 Americans

Farmland revitalization

Sod-laying

Surveying, near Baltimore MD

National Parks improvement: Sequoia National Forest, CA.

Development of trade skills: smithing workshop

Writing seminar, evening class

Electrician workshop

PWA dam construction, Missouri

Spreading electric power to rural America

Resettlement program, SC

The US did not stabalize until WWII

All photos taken from the FDR Library & Museum: Photos of the Great Depression and the New Deal. ml ml Statistics available from great-depression.html great-depression.html