A Photo Essay on A Photo Essay on the Great the Great

Depression Depression

English I HonorsEnglish I Honors

Police stand guard outside the entrance to New York's Police stand guard outside the entrance to New York's closed World Exchange Bank, March 20, 1931. Not only closed World Exchange Bank, March 20, 1931. Not only did bank failures wipe out people's savings, they also did bank failures wipe out people's savings, they also

undermined the ideology of thrift.undermined the ideology of thrift.

Unemployed men vying for jobs at the American Legion Unemployed men vying for jobs at the American Legion Employment Bureau in Los Angeles Employment Bureau in Los Angeles

during the Great Depression.during the Great Depression.

Squatter's Camp, Route 70, Arkansas, Squatter's Camp, Route 70, Arkansas, October, 1935.October, 1935.

Roadside stand near Roadside stand near Birmingham, Alabama, 1936.Birmingham, Alabama, 1936.

Farmer and sons, dust storm, Cimarron County, Oklahoma, Farmer and sons, dust storm, Cimarron County, Oklahoma, 1936. 1936.

The drought that helped cripple agriculture in the Great The drought that helped cripple agriculture in the Great Depression was the worst in the climatological history of the Depression was the worst in the climatological history of the

country. By 1934 it had dessicated the Great Plains, from country. By 1934 it had dessicated the Great Plains, from North Dakota to Texas, from the Mississippi River Valley to North Dakota to Texas, from the Mississippi River Valley to

the Rockies. Vast dust storms swept the region.the Rockies. Vast dust storms swept the region.

In one of the largest pea camps in In one of the largest pea camps in California. February, 1936.California. February, 1936.

The photograph that has become known as "Migrant Mother" The photograph that has become known as "Migrant Mother" is one of a series of photographs that Dorothea Lange made is one of a series of photographs that Dorothea Lange made in February or March of 1936 in Nipomo, California. Lange in February or March of 1936 in Nipomo, California. Lange

was concluding a month's trip photographing migratory farm was concluding a month's trip photographing migratory farm labor around the state for what was then the Resettlement labor around the state for what was then the Resettlement

Administration.Administration.

Demonstration of unemployed. Demonstration of unemployed. Columbus, Kansas. May 1936.Columbus, Kansas. May 1936.

A sharecropper's yard.A sharecropper's yard.Hale County, Alabama, Summer 1936.Hale County, Alabama, Summer 1936.

Porch of a sharecropper's cabin.Porch of a sharecropper's cabin.Hale County, Alabama, Summer 1936. Hale County, Alabama, Summer 1936.

The marginal and oppressive economy of The marginal and oppressive economy of sharecropping largely collapsed during the great sharecropping largely collapsed during the great

Depression.Depression.

Kitchen in house of Floyd Burroughs, Kitchen in house of Floyd Burroughs, sharecropper, near sharecropper, near

Moundville, Hale County, Alabama. Moundville, Hale County, Alabama. Summer 1936.Summer 1936.

People living in miserable poverty, People living in miserable poverty, Elm Grove, Oklahoma County, Elm Grove, Oklahoma County,

Oklahoma. Oklahoma. August 1936.August 1936.

Waiting for the semimonthly relief Waiting for the semimonthly relief checks at Calipatria, Imperial Valley, checks at Calipatria, Imperial Valley,

California. California.

Leland, Mississippi, Leland, Mississippi, in the Delta area, in the Delta area,

June 1937. June 1937.

Part of the daily lineup outside the Part of the daily lineup outside the State Employment Service Office.State Employment Service Office. Memphis, Tennessee. June 1938. Memphis, Tennessee. June 1938.

Young boys waiting in kitchen of city mission Young boys waiting in kitchen of city mission for soup which is given out nightly. Dubuque, for soup which is given out nightly. Dubuque,

Iowa. April 1940. Iowa. April 1940. For millions, soup kitchens offered the only For millions, soup kitchens offered the only

food they would eat.food they would eat.

Durham, North Carolina, May 1940. Durham, North Carolina, May 1940.

Upstairs bedroom of family on relief, Upstairs bedroom of family on relief, Chicago, Illinois. April 1941 Chicago, Illinois. April 1941

Children at Hill House, Mississippi.Children at Hill House, Mississippi.

Sharecropper house on dirt. Dirt log cabin on right is Sharecropper house on dirt. Dirt log cabin on right is much older than attached frame cabin on left. Both much older than attached frame cabin on left. Both

have halfstones. Note dog run and flowering plants in have halfstones. Note dog run and flowering plants in tin can and tubs. This is typical of Negro dwellings. Log tin can and tubs. This is typical of Negro dwellings. Log

build visible. build visible. Through the back door is the corncrib.Through the back door is the corncrib.

Near Olive Hill, North Carolina. Near Olive Hill, North Carolina.

An African-American maid.An African-American maid.

Mississippi Delta children.Mississippi Delta children.

Plantation cotton cabin.Plantation cotton cabin.Mississippi Delta, near Vicksburg.Mississippi Delta, near Vicksburg.

Tenant family Tenant family near Greensboro, Alabama.near Greensboro, Alabama.

Houses in Eutaw, Alabama.Houses in Eutaw, Alabama.

Church near Paradis, Louisiana Church near Paradis, Louisiana

Feet of children on a farm near Feet of children on a farm near Greensboro, Alabama.Greensboro, Alabama.

Greensboro, Alabama Greensboro, Alabama

Main street.Main street.Greensboro, Alabama.Greensboro, Alabama.

Miss Teal, nurse, brings hookworm Miss Teal, nurse, brings hookworm medicine to Lewis family, R.R. (Rural medicine to Lewis family, R.R. (Rural

Rehabilitation) clients. Coffee County, Rehabilitation) clients. Coffee County, Alabama.Alabama.

Part of RR (Rural Rehabilitation) family: Part of RR (Rural Rehabilitation) family: children have hookworm, mother has pellagra children have hookworm, mother has pellagra

and milk leg, according to nurse's report. and milk leg, according to nurse's report. Father works on WPA (Work Projects Father works on WPA (Work Projects

Administration). Administration). Coffee County, Alabama.Coffee County, Alabama.

This woman, wife of an ex-farmer now living on relief, had This woman, wife of an ex-farmer now living on relief, had pellagra in an advanced stage. She has had some treatment pellagra in an advanced stage. She has had some treatment and shown great improvement but there were still evidences and shown great improvement but there were still evidences

of mental disturbance. She was the mother of twelve of mental disturbance. She was the mother of twelve children. The child in her arms has malaria as have probably children. The child in her arms has malaria as have probably

the entire family. Jefferson, Texas.the entire family. Jefferson, Texas.

Courtroom of the Courtroom of the old Monroe County Courthouseold Monroe County Courthouse

Photo from the 1962 film based on Photo from the 1962 film based on Harper Lee's novel Harper Lee's novel

Gregory Peck as Gregory Peck as Atticus FinchAtticus Finch

Brock Peters as Brock Peters as Tom RobinsonTom Robinson

““Why reasonable people go stark Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving raving mad when anything involving

a Negro comes up, is something I a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand.”  don't pretend to understand.” 

~Atticus, Chapter 9 ~Atticus, Chapter 9

The EndThe End