Amidst the shambles of the Great Depression, FDR and his “brain trust” set about making America work again— investing in jobs, infrastructure, the environment, public spaces, education, and the arts. Much of what got created during the New Deal is… read more
During the hardest of times, the Great Depression, government invested in jobs, education, art, theater, parks, and infrastructure. The New Deal rebooted the economy, rekindled Americans’ spirits, and built the foundation for our nation’s future prosperity. The question is, Why… read more
Have you hugged a national park lately? You’ll feel the love in “See America,” a collection of 75 national park posters by contemporary artists inspired by the WPA. The handsome hardcover book can be all yours when you give to… read more
In 2015 we celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Works Progress Administration. The largest and most ambitious effort of the New Deal, the WPA provided millions of Americans the opportunity to work—reviving the economy and bringing hope and progress to… read more
Like the WPA crews that unearthed huge fossils while constructing public works, the Living New Deal is discovering a lost world. Thousands of “artifacts”— films, artworks, parks, roads, bridges, and public buildings—are the among the hidden legacy of the New… read more
When you hit the trail this summer, keep an eye out for New Deal parks, gardens, civic buildings, art, and public works. Send us photos and stories about the New Deal sites you come across in your travels. There’s a… read more
Remembering My Grandmother, Eleanor Roosevelt. (She was a perilous driver!) Commemorative years are times for celebration and reflection. This year, the 80th anniversary of the WPA, founded April 8, 1935, we celebrate the signature program of the New Deal with… read more
New Deal in Prime Time Volunteers from around the country have been sending us their New Deal discoveries at an unprecedented rate. We can barely keep up! Our website has grown to 7,000 New Deal sites and is expanding every… read more
Fanning the Flame Unfettered corporate campaign contributions. Banks deemed too big to fail. Refusing to pay a living wage. Cutting off food aid to those in need. Undermining workers’ right to organize. Privatizing the public domain. Insults like these may… read more
Thanks to a growing team of volunteers sending us their New Deal discoveries, the forgotten legacy of the New Deal is coming to light. Little known stories like those you’ll find here reveal a few of the many ways the… read more