1. Racial, Social and Gender Hierarchies: The Effects of the Great Depression on American Society with Concentration on Minorities and the NIRA Emanuel Estrada Cintya Dominguez Reina González Alicia Guevara Mexican Americans and the Great Depression The Effects of the Great Depression on Native Americans (Indian Reorganization Act of 1934) Ellen Sullivan Woodward: The Paradoxical Voice for Women During the New Deal The National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) and Its Effectiveness to Improve the American Economy in the Early 1930’s

2. Mexican Americans and the Great Depression Emanuel Estrada

3. Background Information The Immigration before the Great Depression The Immigration before the Great Depression Farmers fighting over the immigration laws Farmers fighting over the immigration laws ½ million before the great depression ½ million before the great depression Decline to 27,000 by 1939 Decline to 27,000 by 1939 Anglo Males needed work Anglo Males needed work View as mentally, physically and culturally deficient and classified as sub-standard human beings View as mentally, physically and culturally deficient and classified as sub-standard human beings

4. Repatriation The term repatriationThe term repatriation Determining who was repatriatedDetermining who was repatriated Break-up of FamiliesBreak-up of Families Mothers refused Mothers refused Means of TransportationMeans of Transportation Trains (tickets reduced up to 60% for volunteer relocation Trains (tickets reduced up to 60% for volunteer relocation Boat Boat Ground transportation Ground transportation "Migratory Mexican field worker's home on the edge of a pea field. Imperial Valley, California"

5. Repatriation About 50% of repatriates were born- AmericansAbout 50% of repatriates were born- Americans Welfare authorities offer to ship belongingsWelfare authorities offer to ship belongings Around half of million return voluntarily because of Anglo pressureAround half of million return voluntarily because of Anglo pressure

6. El Paso El Paso and its ResidentsEl Paso and its Residents Many forced to work starvation jobsMany forced to work starvation jobs Wages ($7 the highest & $.50 for part-time)Wages ($7 the highest & $.50 for part-time) Maids $1 per weekMaids $1 per week Cotton pickers (100Lbs $1.21 decline to $.42 in 1931)Cotton pickers (100Lbs $1.21 decline to $.42 in 1931) Fake Immigration agentsFake Immigration agents Associated Charities and the stamping of the passportsAssociated Charities and the stamping of the passports

7. Welfare Discrimination Most of Mexicans were refused services Most of Mexicans were refused services Racism Racism The lines The lines L.A. stated that “all recipients were America- born and not Mexican Nationals” L.A. stated that “all recipients were America- born and not Mexican Nationals” Chicago Mexican Residents were hit even worst. Chicago Mexican Residents were hit even worst. Relief Lines in San Antonio during the Great Depression.

8. Final Thought Repatriation Today Repatriation Today The truth be told, we Mexican Americans are not much better off today than we were during the 1930’s. The truth be told, we Mexican Americans are not much better off today than we were during the 1930’s. This image shows how some Mexicans coming across the border are treated by INS agents. Latinos United for Change and Advancement

9. The Effects of the Great Depression on Native Americans Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Wheeler-Howard Act) Harold IckesJohn Collier Roosevelt Native Americans

10. Introduction  The Great Depression affected many ethnic groups in the United States, but the Native American group was definitely one of the most affected (before and after).  They were a group that suffered racial discrimination, economic disadvantages, exclusion, and misery.  As one of the more disadvantaged groups in American Society, Native Americans looked to the New Deal for help and guidance.  However, it was until 1933 that federal Indian policies were designed to integrate Native Americans

11. Indian Reorganization Act  The Indian Reorganization Act was an act to conserve and develop Indian lands and resources; to extend to Indians the right to form business and other organizations; to establish a credit system for Indians; to grant certain rights of home rule to Indians; to provide for vocational education for Indians; and for other purposes.

12. Advantages  A chance for Native Americans to have their own businesses.  An opportunity for integration.  Credit unions and federal funds to help them.  A chance to attend public school.  More and better jobs.

13. Disadvantages  The problem of existing unemployment.  Of the many New Deal agencies in operation the Civilian Conservation Corps particularly appealed to young Native Americans.  Non-balance voting process for IRA.  76 tribes rejected the IRA (Including the Navajo tribe.  181 tribes approved it.

14. Supporters  Franklin D. Roosevelt  Harold Ickes (Secretary of Interior)  John Collier (Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  70% of Indian tribes. John Collier and Pueblo Indians in 1930

15. John Collier  He believed that Native Americans needed autonomy and self-determination to be successful; his policy was to encourage culturalism and cultural nationalism among Native Americans.  He pressured New Deal agencies to employ Indian on projects that improved reservation land and trained Indians in land conservation methods.

16. Not Supporters  Navajo tribe.  76 other tribes.  They believed that the Bureau of Indian Affairs was forcing them to reduce their livestock herds in order to halt the erosion of reservation land.  Protestant missionaries and cultural conservatives.  White farmers. Navajos Hearing Regarding the IRA (1938)

17. Current Situation  The current situation of Native Americans in the United States is not as good as we wish. It seems that racial prejudice still exists for them and for other minorities. The Indian Reorganization Act did help improve their situation, but not as much as it should have.

18. Ellen Sullivan Woodward: The Paradoxical Voice for Women During the New Deal Ellen Woodward, right, with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, 1938.

19. Ellen Woodward’s Speaking Debut at the White House Woodward had been on staff for two months Programs underway included: sewing projects canning centers clerical work-related projects emergency nursing schools and musical programs Conference Attendees: League of Women Voters Women’s Trade Union League American Red Cross Women pay three cents each for cans and two cents per can for use of the pressure cooker. Woman being taught to make undergarments

20. WPA Sewing Room in Jackson, Mississippi. Compton Library (1936). This library was a WPA project built to replace the library destroyed in the earthquake of 1933

21. Ellen Woodward’s Meeting With Harry Hopkins Woodward was concerned with the way women’s projects were being perceived. Hopkins- FERA director Two years after meeting- Woodward’s letter to Eleanor Roosevelt “ Won ’ t you please ask the President to emphasize in his talk Sunday night that employable women on relief will receive their fair proportion of jobs in the new Program [ … ] Since the projects mentioned in the press have been mainly projects on which only men work, there is much uneasiness felt by women all over the country ”.

22. WPA Posters

23. The Paradoxical View of Women’s Projects “Too many women” being employed could have given the WPA a negative image of an organization trying to overturn gender relations within the United States. Three million women (80%) were never assisted by the government under the WPA projects.

24. Woodward and Separate Spheres Ideology M aintaining a steady rate of women employed was both an uplifting and a weakening message for women. Separate Spheres Ideology, as it was introduced within the capitalistic society ensured that women’s role was to keep the domestic sphere a place where their husbands, fathers, and brothers would retire to after having endured the public sphere, a sphere riddled with competition and deceit.

25. The National Industrial Recovery Act and Its Effectiveness to Improve the American Economy

26. Introduction  Suicide  1932 – National suicide rate rose to 3.4%  In Detroit, suicide rate rose 30% from previous five years.  Unemployment  1931 – Non-agricultural rose to 15.9% and 25% in 1933.  Half of those employed were working part- time.

27. State of the Industry  Coal and textiles  Automobile and electrical manufacturing  Construction

28. Purpose of the NIRA  Creation of full employment  Control of production  Elimination of “unfair competition” practices  Protection of labor rights to collective bargaining  Enacted in June 1933

29. Supporters of the NIRA  President FDR addresses Congress in March 1933.  The Brain Trust – Columbia Univ. Academics  Raymond Moley, Political Scientist against monopolies  Adolf Berle Jr., Attorney in Corporate Law  Rexford Tugwell, Experimental Economist  Industries displeased with scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission

30. Purpose of the National Recovery Administration  Writing, approving, and enforcing the codes  September, 1934 – 90% of all industries had adopted the codes.  Child labor was eliminated  Work hours were shortened  Minimum wages were established  Over 4 million people were re-employed

31. Problems with the NRA Codes  Increase in prices  Wage inequality  Small businesses inability to comply with the codes and stay in business  Industries disregard for Section 7-A  Bureaucracy  Control of the Administration by the large corporations

32. Results  Midwestern Progressive Senators Gerald P. Nye and William Borah of N. Dakota attacked the NIRA in November 1933.  Both businesses and labor were unhappy with the NRA.  The NIRA was unable to increase the total demand to increase employment and, consequently, business and profitability.  Wage codes interfered with the economy’s equilibrium since they were not allowed to fall, and therefore, economic recovery was slowed.

33. Supreme Court’s Ruling  The NRA was ruled unconstitutional on May 27, 1935,  Attempted to regulate commerce that was not interstate commerce  The codes represented unacceptable delegation of power from the legislative to the executive branches without adequate policy and procedure guidelines.

34. Conclusion  The Great Depression and the New Deal reforms affected Mexican Americans, Native Americans, women and industries.  Approx. 450,000 Repatriated Mexican Americans  Break up of families  Return of American born families  Only 10% of total relief across the country  Lost property and belongings  The Indian New Deal  The Pueblo Relief Act of 1933, the Johnson O’Malley Act of 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.  Government erosion of Indian Reservation lands  Government Assimilation policies  Inequality of women  Ellen Woodward, Head of Women’s Professional Projects, Fed. Emergency Relief Administration  Sewing, clerical, emergency nursing schools, and musical programs  Professional women did not receive the same government benefits as men  Failure of the NIRA to recover the economy  Purpose of the NIRA  Results