Texas and The New DealTexas and The New Deal

The New DealThe New Deal

President Franklin D. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had Roosevelt had promised a “new deal promised a “new deal for the American for the American people”.people”.

Roosevelt and his Roosevelt and his advisers asked advisers asked Congress to pass a Congress to pass a variety of measures- variety of measures- called the New Deal- called the New Deal- to fight the depressionto fight the depression

The New DealThe New Deal One act helped banks to One act helped banks to

remain open, while remain open, while another program gave another program gave money to the states for money to the states for food and other aid to food and other aid to people.people.

Another act paid farmers Another act paid farmers not to grow crops in not to grow crops in order to cut down on order to cut down on overproduction.overproduction.

The New Deal did not The New Deal did not end the depression, but end the depression, but gave hope to millions of gave hope to millions of Americans.Americans.

The New DealThe New Deal

Roosevelt believed Roosevelt believed that if workers had that if workers had money to spend it money to spend it would help spur an would help spur an economic recovery. economic recovery.

Businesses would Businesses would benefit and the benefit and the whole economy whole economy would improve.would improve.

The New DealThe New Deal New Deal programs New Deal programs

created jobs by funding created jobs by funding public works – public works – government sponsored government sponsored building projects for building projects for public use.public use.

People worked for New People worked for New Deal agencies such as Deal agencies such as the Public Works the Public Works Administration (PWA) Administration (PWA) and the Works Progress and the Works Progress Administration (WPA).Administration (WPA).

The New DealThe New Deal

Workers constructed Workers constructed schools, dams, schools, dams, parks and roads.parks and roads.

These programs These programs became so well became so well known that people known that people wrote directly to the wrote directly to the president looking for president looking for work.work.

The New DealThe New Deal Roosevelt also wanted to Roosevelt also wanted to

provide Americans with provide Americans with economic security for the economic security for the future.future.

In 1935, Congress created In 1935, Congress created the Social Security system. the Social Security system.

This program provided This program provided payments to retired citizens payments to retired citizens and benefits for unemployed and benefits for unemployed workers.workers.

The Social Security system The Social Security system collected money from collected money from employers and workers.employers and workers.

The New DealThe New Deal Several Texans served Several Texans served

under Roosevelt and under Roosevelt and helped with his New Deal helped with his New Deal effortsefforts

John Nance Garner of John Nance Garner of Uvalde served as vice Uvalde served as vice president from 1933-president from 1933-19411941

Jesse Jones of Houston, Jesse Jones of Houston, was appointed to was appointed to Secretary of CommerceSecretary of Commerce

John Nance Garner

Jesse H. Jones

The New DealThe New Deal Lyndon Baines Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson

of Johnson City served of Johnson City served as the state director of as the state director of the National Youth the National Youth Administration (NYA), Administration (NYA), which employed young which employed young people between the age people between the age of 16 and 25. of 16 and 25.

He was only 27 when he He was only 27 when he became the NYA became the NYA director.director.

The New DealThe New Deal Sam Rayburn was Sam Rayburn was

among the well-among the well-known Texans in known Texans in CongressCongress

Rayburn held a seat Rayburn held a seat in Congress for in Congress for nearly 50 years and nearly 50 years and served for many served for many years as Speaker of years as Speaker of the House.the House.

New Deal Programs in TexasNew Deal Programs in Texas Several New Deal Several New Deal

agencies offered agencies offered assistance to Texans assistance to Texans during the Great during the Great Depression.Depression.

In 1934, some 13% of In 1934, some 13% of Texans received aid.Texans received aid.

The Federal Emergency The Federal Emergency Relief Administration Relief Administration provided millions of dollars provided millions of dollars to assist Texans.to assist Texans.

New Deal Programs in TexasNew Deal Programs in Texas The Civilian Conservation The Civilian Conservation

Corps (CCC) created jobs Corps (CCC) created jobs for some 100,000 Texans.for some 100,000 Texans.

CCC workers built and CCC workers built and repaired bridges, dams repaired bridges, dams and roads.and roads.

Workers received $30 a Workers received $30 a month but were required month but were required to send $25 of their pay to send $25 of their pay back to their families.back to their families.

The families could spend The families could spend the money in their local the money in their local economies.economies.

Hoover Dam, 1936

New Deal Program in TexasNew Deal Program in Texas

Other Texans Other Texans found jobs with the found jobs with the WPA. WPA.

The WPA aided in The WPA aided in the construction of the construction of dams along the dams along the Colorado RiverColorado River

New Deal Programs in TexasNew Deal Programs in Texas NYA workers in Texas NYA workers in Texas

built many rest stops – built many rest stops – an idea that soon an idea that soon spread throughout the spread throughout the entire nation.entire nation.

As a result of these As a result of these jobs, Texans had jobs, Texans had money to spend on money to spend on goods and services, goods and services, thereby helping the thereby helping the state’s economy.state’s economy.

Two men cutting stone for a highway rest stop

New Deal Programs in TexasNew Deal Programs in Texas The Rural Electrification The Rural Electrification

Administration (REA) Administration (REA) helped Texas farms gain helped Texas farms gain access to electricity.access to electricity.

This program was This program was important to Texas important to Texas because fewer than 10% because fewer than 10% of Texas farms had of Texas farms had electricity by 1935.electricity by 1935.

By 1965, 98% of Texas By 1965, 98% of Texas farms had electricity.farms had electricity.

New Deal Programs in TexasNew Deal Programs in Texas The federal government also The federal government also

helped Texas farmers by helped Texas farmers by purchasing farmland to keep it purchasing farmland to keep it out of production and allow it to out of production and allow it to recover.recover.

Agents of the Soil Conservation Agents of the Soil Conservation Service taught farmers how to Service taught farmers how to plant trees and grass to prevent plant trees and grass to prevent soil from blowing away. They soil from blowing away. They also advised farmers to plow in also advised farmers to plow in the direction of the natural the direction of the natural shape of the land. That way the shape of the land. That way the ridges and furrows would ridges and furrows would prevent further erosion by water prevent further erosion by water and wind.and wind.

New Deal Programs in TexasNew Deal Programs in Texas

Many Texans Many Texans welcomed the federal welcomed the federal assistance, but as the assistance, but as the depression continued depression continued some people began to some people began to criticize the New Deal.criticize the New Deal.

They feared that the They feared that the rapid expansion of rapid expansion of government would government would threaten individual threaten individual liberty.liberty.

Texas Politics During the New DealTexas Politics During the New Deal

Miriam Ferguson who Miriam Ferguson who had been re-elected had been re-elected governor in 1932, governor in 1932, supported New Deal supported New Deal policiespolicies

In 1933, she convinced In 1933, she convinced Texans to approve $20 Texans to approve $20 million in bonds for relief million in bonds for relief aid.aid.

She also issued an order She also issued an order creating the Texas Relief creating the Texas Relief Commission to assist Commission to assist TexansTexans

Texas Politics During the New DealTexas Politics During the New Deal

Ferguson chose not to run for office in Ferguson chose not to run for office in 1934, opening the way for Texas 1934, opening the way for Texas Attorney General James V. Allred of Attorney General James V. Allred of Wichita Falls to win the election as Wichita Falls to win the election as governor.governor.

Allred worked hard to bring New Deal Allred worked hard to bring New Deal programs and federal money to Texas programs and federal money to Texas and he was re-elected in 1938and he was re-elected in 1938

Allred helped created a state old age Allred helped created a state old age pension program and a retirement pension program and a retirement system for public school teachers.system for public school teachers.

In addition, during Allred’s In addition, during Allred’s administration the Texas administration the Texas Unemployment Compensation Unemployment Compensation Commission – now know as the Commission – now know as the Texas Workforce Commission – was Texas Workforce Commission – was established.established.

Texas Politics During the New DealTexas Politics During the New Deal

In 1938, a candidate with a style like no In 1938, a candidate with a style like no one else’s ran for governorone else’s ran for governor

W. Lee O’Daniel was the sales manager W. Lee O’Daniel was the sales manager of a flour-milling company in Fort Worth.of a flour-milling company in Fort Worth.

During the late 1920’s O’Daniel began During the late 1920’s O’Daniel began airing a radio show that featured a airing a radio show that featured a country music group called the Light country music group called the Light Crust Doughboys. Crust Doughboys.

The show opened with the words The show opened with the words “Please pass the biscuits, Pappy” Soon “Please pass the biscuits, Pappy” Soon the show’s host was known as Pappy the show’s host was known as Pappy Lee O’Daniel.Lee O’Daniel.

In May 1938, O’Daniel announced that In May 1938, O’Daniel announced that he had received some 54,000 letters in he had received some 54,000 letters in one week urging him to run for governor.one week urging him to run for governor.

Texas Politics During the New DealTexas Politics During the New Deal

Much to the surprise of political Much to the surprise of political experts, O’Daniel ran a successful experts, O’Daniel ran a successful campaigncampaign

Texans elected O’Daniel by a wide Texans elected O’Daniel by a wide margin in 1938.margin in 1938.

O’Daniel’s lack of political experience O’Daniel’s lack of political experience began to show after he took office.began to show after he took office.

He had a poor relationship with the He had a poor relationship with the legislature and few of his proposed legislature and few of his proposed programs became law.programs became law.

Texans re-elected him in 1940, but he Texans re-elected him in 1940, but he left office in 1941 to take a seat in the left office in 1941 to take a seat in the U.S. Senate.U.S. Senate.

Life and Culture during the Great DepressionLife and Culture during the Great Depression

Music provided a Music provided a welcome distraction to welcome distraction to Texans.Texans.

African American African American musicians such as musicians such as Huddie Ledbetter and Huddie Ledbetter and Aaron T-Bone Walker Aaron T-Bone Walker played the blues.played the blues.

Bob Wills and his band Bob Wills and his band the Texas Playboys the Texas Playboys offered a new kind of offered a new kind of dance music called dance music called western swing.western swing.

Bob Wills

Aaron T-Bone Walker

Life and Culture during the Great DepressionLife and Culture during the Great Depression

Texans also read Texans also read the works of J. the works of J. Frank Dobie, Frank Dobie, whose stories and whose stories and collections of folk collections of folk tales captured tales captured many aspects of many aspects of life in Texaslife in Texas

Life and Culture during the Great DepressionLife and Culture during the Great Depression

Another bright spot Another bright spot came in 1936, came in 1936, when Texas when Texas celebrated its celebrated its centennial or 100centennial or 100thth birthday since birthday since independence.independence.

Life and Culture during the DepressionLife and Culture during the Depression

With federal With federal assistance, the state assistance, the state spent $25 million to spent $25 million to stage a world’s fair stage a world’s fair in Dallas to mark the in Dallas to mark the occasion.occasion.

President Roosevelt President Roosevelt visited the visited the fairgrounds.fairgrounds.