Sweet Land of Liberty As a child, singer Marian Anderson (1897-1993) showed remarkable talent, but she was turned away from the Philadelphia Music Academy because she was Black. Her church raised money for her to take private lessons. In 1939, the Daughters… read more
A Happier New Year On Christmas Eve for ten years running, the President and Mrs. Roosevelt hosted an annual party at the White House for staff and their families. Police, cooks, maids, butlers and office employees all were invited. The… read more
Happy Franksgiving! President Abraham Lincoln had proclaimed in 1863 the last Thursday in November as a national holiday for giving thanks. But in 1939, retailers feared that a late Thanksgiving that year (November 30) could hurt Christmas sales. Traditionally, the… read more
A New Deal for America’s Workers Labor Day became an official US holiday in 1894, but took on particular meaning during its 50th anniversary. In 1934, a quarter of American workers were unemployed. The country was rife with unrest, with… read more
Neither Snow Nor Rain Nor Heat Nor Gloom—Nor Politics? During the Great Depression, struggling artists got work through federal art programs creating public art that reflected America to itself. The 1,200 murals they painted in post offices around the country… read more
More Than Just Pretty Pictures Gordon Parks’ work epitomized the black-and-white photography of the Depression era. He joined the Farm Security Administration in 1942—the agency’s only black photographer. He chronicled African Americans’ everyday lives, poverty, racial injustice, and the struggle… read more
Brief, but Spectacular Growing up during the Great Depression, the screenwriter, actor and director Carl Reiner signed up for a drama class sponsored by the Works Progress Administration. He said the WPA, which ran from 1935-43, was instrumental in steering… read more
Help and Hope for Trying Times FDR and his advisors knew that rebuilding the nation would require both reforming the economy and tending to the needs of struggling Americans. “We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of… read more
FDR’s Fireside Chats were a staple of his presidency. During these evening radio addresses, Roosevelt calmly reassured the American people; explained the path to national recovery; and rallied national unity. Like all of you, we at the Living New Deal have been feeling… read more
Lessons for a Green New Deal Though our nation faces critical challenges–political, economic, and environmental— the New Deal holds important lessons for a better future. Inspired by the original New Deal, a Green New Deal is emerging as a way… read more
