Donna Bell: Life After The Great Depression

The journal article begins by introducing an African American couple who resided in Russellville, Kentucky. James Wright held an occupation as a corn cutter while his wife Gladys worked as a cook in a white home. The time span of their journey occurred at the beginning of the great depression all the way through World War II. Seeking better employment opportunities, James traveled to Louisville. Although, his first couple trips were in vain. His resilience and determination eventually lead to a job working for International Harvester. During an era of many trials and tribulations, James found a way to support himself and his family by migrating from a rural to an urban area. By sharing this anecdote the author establishes a mood of hardship

The Great Depression had a huge impact on society and many economic causes to go along with it. But, what mattered the most was how they got through it. Upton Sinclair once stated, “The remedy [the Great Depression] is to give the workers access to the means of production, and let them produce for themselves, not for others… the American Way.”

The election of 1932 focused primarily on the Great Depression, the recent economic crisis that had swallowed the nation. At this time, thirteen million people were unemployed and 774 banks were shutting down annually. Economically unstable, Americans turned to Franklin Delano Roosevelt who claimed, “better days were ahead” with his New Deal reformation. He promised economic “recovery, job creation, investment in public works, and civic uplift” (Harvey 88). Immediately upon entering the white house, he began his 3 R process: relief, recovery, and reform (Bateman and Taylor 73). While this revolution would bring reform to U.S banking systems and help improve unemployment, the restoring of economic stability would go unmet; therefore, we must question the true effectiveness of this reformation. Roosevelt is considered to be one of the nation’s greatest and most influential presidents, yet he did not end the great depression as he was expected to. Was FDR as potent as we credit him to be? By exploring society before the depression, comparing presidents prior to FDR, as well as dissecting the success and failures of his New Deal reconstruction, we can analyze and conclude FDR’s true role in healing the nation.

To what extent is Frances Perkins responsible for and involved in the economic and social policies during The Great Depression? Frances Perkins role in government through pre and post great depression is not as widely recognized as some her fellow cabinet members who also pushed the New Deal. The details of who was the driving force behind the New Deal have been skewed over the years. How did Frances Perkins influence the economic and social policies of the Great Depression? Do people only remember Perkins for being the first female cabinet member under Franklin D. Roosevelt or was she actually a visionary of her time. During the time of the New Deal and new government, involvement in economy and the

Why did this every have to happen to the world? The great depression struck everyone in the U.S.A. it was very bad on the economy. There were many reasons of this like people taking their shares out of the stock market, the banks are losing money, and people with the last hired first hired policy.

Geneva Jones was born in 1941 at Wed Williamson hospital in Jackson TN on East Chester Street. Geneva lived in Bemis TN, with both of her parents. She was the oldest child.

Dorothy McCormick graduated high school in 1960, but couldn’t go to college because her brother already was going. Her family did not have enough money for the both of them to go so McCormick went to work right out of highschool. She remembers one day, driving to work,

“Something that I never had in life, something that you have but are taking for granted, I won't stand for it.” Game controller in hand, I gulped hard, with sweat rolling down my head. My eyes pointed directly downward, not daring to look up as my mother gave “the talk.” My mother’s words echo in my head. Having lost her father during high school, she was denied her right to higher education. She married at a young age, moved to America, and gave birth to me. The first born, the carrier of the American Dream. We were what one would expect from an immigrant Indian family; working hard, valuing education, and hoping for a better tomorrow. As my parents worked hard to sustain our family, I strived to excel in school, motivated by their hardship.

There are many examples during The Great Depression that showed the best and the worst in people while they went through hard times. Many people struggled with finding jobs, being fed, and taking care of their families and themselves. Some good things happened as well, the moment they heard they have been hired all you would see is a big smile on their face or when they they have a piece of bread in front of them which in their eyes was a feast.

In chapter 21, the Great Depression greatly affected the migrant families and local farmers. Mold of cruelty is a metaphor describing the harsh living condition that the migrant workers received from the landowners. In California, the local landowners didn’t want the migrants to take over “their land” so they armed themselves in order to prevent any uprising and threatening actions that will threaten their superiority. They felt they had a right to treat the migrants bad because they were the first to claimed the land. This treatment could be linked to WWII as the Nazi discriminated the Jews in Germany and in the United States, some people are still discriminating that immigrants the moved to the United States. Although, the men that were armed

During the Great Depression Americans suffered greatly. It was the deepest and longest downfall in American history. The Great Depression began after the stock market crash of October of 1929. When the stock market crashed it sent Wall Street in a uproar and wiped out many investors, this causing a steep declines in industrial output and rising levels of unemployment as failing companies laid off workers. By 1933 nearly 15 percent of workers were unemployed or laid off. With many people being unemployed it made many people homeless. The community created a community called hoovervilles. A "Hooverville" was a shanty town built by homeless people in the US during the Great Depression. They were named after Herbert Hoover, who was President of

The “other side” in context of the Great Depression, refers to the positives that manifested during that time. Ultimately, members of the upper class benefited the most during this time. Throughout the Great Depression, the upper class found themselves living an ultimately better lifestyle. They were still just as rich as before the depression hit, and continued to live their luxurious lives. The Great Depression resulted in the cost of living, decreasing, which in turn, allowed the wealthy to live even better and maintain or even increase their own wealth. They were also able to buy businesses and properties, and essentially make more money off the lower classes. However, there were positives for the average person as well. People learned

My grandmother, Sharry Elizabeth Hebert grew up in Superior Wisconsin and was born in 1942. She was the last one to be born of five children, however, her brothers and sisters were grown and gone out of the household. Although, in 1960 she graduated from high school, my grandmother was 17 and couldn't find a job right away. The september after she graduated was when she went to college for 2 years, and it wasn't until the following summer of her first year when she finally got a job. My grandmother worked many jobs but just a few include a secretary, an employee at Fitgers Brewery, a clothing factory, and at a doughnut shop. 1962 was when she got married to her first husband and had 2 children Kim, and Lesley. That was until she got remarried

A couple years later my mom turned eighteen and graduated high school. Straight from high school she was pushed to find a better paying job. Due to my grandma already working at the hospital, she managed to get my mom a job as a file clerk. My mom worked there for a couple years until she got

My grandmother who is a widow was a fantastic house wife during the 1980s. She cooked and cleaned while still managing to be a very effective grandmother and mother to the childern who resided within in her household. She support her husband, My late grandfather, while he worked in a diverse workplace by taking care of home. They meet ona block in north philadelphia that my grandmother grew up on. The various historical topics that we learn through this brief semester affect my grandmother in more than one way. She spoke about how my grandfather, Raymond Manley, worked in a workplace that was diverse. She discussed how the government was her main source of income to provide for her family. The American Yelp chapter “The Sixties” with into