From Slavery to Freedom 9th ed.

Chapter 17The New Deal EraFrom Slavery to Freedom9th ed.1In the Throes of Economic DepressionIn the Throes of Economic DepressionLate 1920s, widening gap in wealth distributionCollapse of agricultural system caused mass migration out of SouthOverproduction; falling prices; boll weevilThe Agricultural Crisis and Black MigrationAgricultural Adjustment Act (1933) worsened things for tenants and sharecroppersBlack middle class suffered due to loss of patronage of African American laborers

2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 22In the Throes of Economic DepressionAfrican American Efforts at ReliefAfrican Americans did what they could to secure employment and relief in midst of DepressionTried to establish stores and cooperativesOrganized Dont Buy Where You Can t Work boycottsBuoyed by 1937 Supreme Court decision declaring legal the picketing of firms that refused to employ African Americans1935 riot in Harlem

2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 33Political ResurgencePolitical ResurgenceAfrican Americans became increasingly disaffected with the Republican PartyHoovers victory demonstrative of partys ability to win white southern vote and willingness to alienate blacksThe Election of Oscar DePriestBlacks increasingly aware of their political powerAfrican American elected to represent Illinois in U.S. House of Representatives in 1928First northern black representative in Congress

2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 44Political ResurgenceThe Shift to the DemocratsRoosevelts win presaged shift to the DemocratsRepublicans overestimated hold over black constituentsRepublican DePreist defeated in Illinois by Democrat Arthur W. MitchellA Growing Sense of Political EfficacyAfrican Americans increasingly active politicallySupported Roosevelt; fond of his wife, EleanorBlack vote influential in many pivotal states 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 55Political ResurgenceSuccess at the State and Local LevelsGreater concentration of African Americans in urban centers and increased political consciousness led to success at local level 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 66The Black CabinetThe Black CabinetRoosevelt administration sought advice of black advisorsAfrican Americans in the National GovernmentWhite members of Roosevelts cabinet also began to hire African Americans as racial advisors and as staff to various agenciesBlack cabinet never a formal body, but recognized Bethune as its chair 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 77 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 8The Black Cabinet

8The Black CabinetExpanding Job Opportunities in the Federal GovernmentBlack government advisors worked to increase opportunities for employment of blacks in governmentMajority of new blacks, however, worked in the low, unskilled, and semiskilled jobs 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 99New Deal ProgramsThe Agricultural ProgramsLarge number of blacks adversely affected by New Deal agricultural relief measuresGrants intended for African American farmers often misappropriatedAfrican Americans received benefits from federal agencies, although not in proportion to their needFSA; NYA; CCC; housing programs; PWA; WPAAfrican Americans more likely to get material relief than employment 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1010 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 11Nat Williams and E. H. Anderson, Farm County Security Administration official

11New Deal ProgramsThe Tuskegee StudyRacist study charting progression on untreated syphilis in black men without their informed consentDespite limitations, New Deal enabled the entrance of highly trained blacks into the federal government and federal agencies operating in the South 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1212Organized LaborOrganized LaborBlack workers had to fight barriers that excluded them from unionismEfforts to keeps whites employed during Depression led to labor unions exclusionary policiesThe CIOEstablished by John L. Lewis and based on concept of industrial unionism all workers in given industry joined into single unionCIO organized regardless of race or gender 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1313Organized LaborThe CIO launched first southern organizing drive in 1937Civil rights unionismSupport among black workers who applied protest tradition to labor movementOrganizing Activity in AgricultureSouthern Tenant Farmers Union dramatic example of interracial labor activismGrowth of STFU spurred by collapse of agricultural economy and failure of New Deal agricultural policyMet with campaign of terror; catalyst for founding of Resettlement Administration

2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1414 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 15Conference of officials of local chapter of UCAPAWA in Tabor, Creek County, Oklahoma, February 1940

15On the LeftThe Appeal of CommunismCommunists message of racial equality appealed to African AmericansCommunists willing to make bold anti-Jim Crow attacksLandmark Cases: Scottsboro and HerndonCommunist-affiliated International Labor Defense (ILD) secured freedom for black defendants in two high-profile casesAfrican American membership roseEmpowered blacks to engage in active resistance 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1616 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 17The Scottsboro Boys

17On the LeftThe National Negro Congress and the Popular FrontIn mid-1930s, international Communist movement calling for Popular Front strategy of resistance to fascism and right-wing forces National Negro Congress joined; platform endorsed labor-black alliance, civil rights, anti-fascismSouthern Negro Youth Conference four-point program focusing on citizenship, education, jobs, and health 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1818On the LeftThe Southern Conference for Human WelfareInterracial, interclass coalition convened to discuss economic crisis in SouthEleanor Roosevelt sat on black-white dividing line, making important symbolic statement against Jim Crow 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1919A Harvest of Artistic ExpressionA Harvest of Artistic ExpressionBlack artistic creativity continued to blossom, some aided by WPA fundingAugusta SavageBlack sculptor who studied in Paris and is well-known for her works Gamin and The HarpWilliam JohnsonAlso worked on WPA-funded projectsHis black folk art lauded by critics, collectors, and dealers 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2020 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 21Augusta Savage, The Harp (1939)

21A Harvest of Artistic ExpressionBlacks in FilmsBlacks highly visible in New Deal Era filmsBill Bojangles Robinson enjoyed rare dignity of presentationBlack men mostly characterized in infantilized, emasculated rolesHattie McDaniel first black actor to win Oscar for her role as Mammy in 1939s Gone with the Wind 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2222A Harvest of Artistic ExpressionPaul Robeson and Lena HorneAttempted to resist racially stereotypical rolesHorne had clause in contract stating that she would not play a servant or other racially stereotyped roleBlack Musicians and ComposersBlack influence in music most culturally transformativeThomas A. Dorsey gospelWilliam Grant Still classicalDuke Ellington 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2323A Harvest of Artistic ExpressionThe Swing EraCount Basie Cab CallowayJimmie LuncefordNear end of 1930s, black musicians began to integrate with large white bandsGoodman-Henderson partnershipWomen VocalistsBillie HolidayElla Fitzgerald 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2424A Harvest of Artistic ExpressionMarian Anderson at the Lincoln MemorialSang in front of 75,000 at Lincoln Memorial after the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to let her sing in its Constitution HallDARs refusal resulted in Eleanor Roosevelt resigning her membership in the group 2010 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2525