Great Depression

Definition

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted through the late 1930s, marked by massive unemployment, significant declines in industrial output, and widespread poverty. This period profoundly affected the lives of many, especially African Americans, who faced compounded challenges due to systemic racism and limited economic opportunities during this time.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. African Americans experienced higher unemployment rates than white Americans during the Great Depression, often facing job discrimination that left them with limited employment opportunities.
2. The Great Depression exacerbated existing racial inequalities, leading to increased competition for jobs and resources between African Americans and white workers.
3. Many African Americans migrated from rural areas to cities in search of better opportunities during the Great Depression, leading to urban growth in communities like Harlem.
4. Relief programs from the New Deal were often administered in racially biased ways, with African Americans receiving fewer benefits than their white counterparts.
5. Cultural expressions such as music, literature, and art flourished during this time as African Americans sought to address their struggles and advocate for civil rights through various movements.

Review Questions

• How did the economic conditions of the Great Depression specifically impact African American communities?
  • The Great Depression significantly impacted African American communities through heightened unemployment rates and increased competition for scarce jobs. Many African Americans were already marginalized economically and socially before the Depression, but this crisis exacerbated those inequalities. As jobs disappeared, systemic racism led to discrimination in hiring practices, meaning that even when work was available, African Americans were often the last to be hired and first to be let go.
• In what ways did the New Deal address or fail to address the needs of African Americans during the Great Depression?
  • While the New Deal included programs intended to provide relief and employment, it often failed to address the specific needs of African Americans adequately. Many relief programs had discriminatory practices that favored white applicants over black ones. Furthermore, while initiatives like the WPA offered job opportunities, these roles were sometimes segregated or lower-paying compared to those offered to white workers. This inequity highlighted the need for reforms that would specifically target racial injustices within economic policies.
• Evaluate the long-term effects of the Great Depression on African American civil rights movements in subsequent decades.
  • The Great Depression had profound long-term effects on African American civil rights movements. The economic struggles faced during this time galvanized many African Americans to organize and advocate for their rights more vigorously. As a result, the experience of suffering under discriminatory practices during relief efforts contributed to a growing consciousness about social justice. This era laid crucial groundwork for future civil rights activism in the 1950s and 1960s as communities recognized that economic equality was intrinsically tied to their fight for civil rights and justice.

Related terms

New Deal: A series of programs and policies implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to combat the effects of the Great Depression, aimed at providing relief, recovery, and reform.

Dust Bowl: A severe drought during the 1930s that affected the Great Plains region, leading to agricultural failure and further economic hardship for farmers, many of whom were African Americans.

WPA (Works Progress Administration): A key agency created under the New Deal that provided millions of jobs for unemployed Americans, including many African Americans, in public works projects during the Great Depression.