In the 1930s, the United States faced hard times during the Great Depression. Many people lost their jobs, homes, and savings. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the New Deal, a group of programs and laws to help the country recover. Alabama leaders and workers played an important role in this effort.
Alabama Leaders and New Deal Reforms
Some Alabama leaders helped write or support important New Deal laws. Senator Hugo Black supported the Fair Labor Standards Act, which set rules for fair pay and work hours. Representative Henry Steagall helped pass the Glass-Steagall Act, a law that protected people’s bank savings. William Bankhead, Speaker of the House from Alabama, helped pass the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. This law gave loans to poor farmers so they could buy their own land. These leaders wanted to make sure working families were treated fairly during tough times.
Alabamians also helped lead local programs. Pauline Fletcher helped run Camp Margaret Murray Washington, a camp that taught farming and homemaking skills to women and girls. Groups like the Southern Conference for Human Welfare worked to improve conditions for working people across the South.
New Deal Projects in Alabama
Many New Deal projects brought help to Alabama. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) gave young men jobs planting trees, building parks, and taking care of the land. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) hired people to build roads, schools, and libraries. These jobs helped families earn money and improved communities.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was another important program. It built dams along the Tennessee River to control floods and make electricity. This brought power to many homes and farms that had never had it before.
Farmers got help through the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA), which paid them to grow fewer crops so prices would rise. The Social Security Administration started programs to help older people and families who needed support.
A Lasting Impact
The New Deal helped many Alabama families during the Great Depression. It created jobs, built roads and parks, brought electricity, and passed new laws to protect workers and families. Alabama’s leaders and workers played an important role in making these changes happen. The programs and laws from this time still affect our lives today.