New Deal Affecting African Americans

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THE NEW DEAL AND HOW IT AFFECTED afRICAN AMERICANS Between the years 1933-1936, a series of economic programs(better known as The New Deal) was enacted by Pesident Fanklin D. Roosevelt. The United States was going through the Great Depession, whereas thee was an economic downfall. In esponse the the economic crisis, executive orders were given and laws wee passed by congress during the F. D. Roosevelt administration. The New Deal was an excellent response to the Great Depression, in which it on the 3 R’s(relief, recovery and reform.The relief was to help the poor and unemployed; the recovery was for the American economy to return to a normal state and reform was a financial system to stop any future depressions. Within…show more content…
There were many problems African Americans were facing before the New Deal became an instrument in the saving of the United States economy. Because of the Depression, African Americans workers were pushed out of jobs, favoring White workers. Because Blacks were last hired and first fired, it made it easier for them to lose their jobs at faster rates. The near subjugation of the tenant farming system destroyed many work opportunities for blacks to have any work because many black agricultural workers did not have other job skills, they were highly unlikely to get employment elsewhere. Many black farmers could not obtain contracts for their crops. Due to a halt in government funding, already dilapidated black communities turned into slums and crime increased neighborhoods. Harlem, in New York City was known as the Mecca for artists and enthusiasts to come live and thrive. However, many black homeowners were not able to refinance their home for improvements and had to sell their homes below market value…show more content…
25, No. 8, p. 457 Alain Locke takes a look at the current state of Harlem back in 1936. He notest that regardless of the Harlem renssaince and its grandure reputation, it was going through a tremendous amount of struggle, right along with the rest of the country, except that Harlem was being ignored. According the Locke, the world was unaware of the increasing level of crime that ran parralel to the econmic downfall of the United States. He pointed out why one riot started as a result of a white store owner servicing blacks, yet refuse to keep blacks in key positions and not employing enough of them. Roosevelt, Frankln, D., Letter to the Nation's Clergy. FDR Library, President's Personal File. September 24, 1935, Entry 21, box 1 President F.D.Roosevelt wanted to ensure the success of the Social Security Administration by writing a national letter to all clergy,asking for their input, so that he maybe able to address the issues within each community. Although the African American community seemed to have been a special case, there has not been anything hihglighting the special needs of the black community. Flechner,
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