Description: This photograph shows African Americans in an adult literacy class in Toledo, Ohio, provided by the Works Progress Administration. This photograph is one of the many visual materials collected for use in the Ohio Guide. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Works Progress Administration by executive order to create jobs for the large numbers of unemployed laborers, as well as artists, musicians, actors, and writers. The Federal Arts Program, a sector of the Works Progress Administration, included the Federal Writers’ Project, which administered literacy and arts programs to help the unemployed learn new and valuable skills. One of the primary goals of the Federal Writers' Project was to complete the America Guide series, a series of guidebooks for each state which included state history, art, architecture, music, literature, and points of interest to the major cities and tours throughout the state. Work on the Ohio Guide began in 1935 with the publication of several pamphlets and brochures. The Reorganization Act of 1939 consolidated the Works Progress Administration and other agencies into the Federal Works Administration, and the Federal Writers’ Project became the Federal Writers’ Project in Ohio. The final product was published in 1940 and went through several editions. The Ohio Guide Collection consists of 4,769 photographs collected for use in Ohio Guide and other publications of the Federal Writers’ Project in Ohio from 1935-1939. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B11F03_01_001
Subjects: Freedmen--United States; Adult education--Ohio--Columbus; Literacy programs--Ohio--Columbus; African Americans; Works Progress Administration; Ohio Federal Writers' Project
Places: Toledo (Ohio); Lucas County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph shows African Americans participating in an adult literacy class in Uhrichsville, Ohio, provided by the Works Progress Administration. The class probably took place in someone's home. This photograph is one of the many visual materials collected for use in the Ohio Guide. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Works Progress Administration by executive order to create jobs for the large numbers of unemployed laborers, as well as artists, musicians, actors, and writers. The Federal Arts Program, a sector of the Works Progress Administration, included the Federal Writers’ Project, which administered literacy and arts programs to help the unemployed learn new and valuable skills. One of the primary goals of the Federal Writers' Project was to complete the America Guide series, a series of guidebooks for each state which included state history, art, architecture, music, literature, and points of interest to the major cities and tours throughout the state. Work on the Ohio Guide began in 1935 with the publication of several pamphlets and brochures. The Reorganization Act of 1939 consolidated the Works Progress Administration and other agencies into the Federal Works Administration, and the Federal Writers’ Project became the Federal Writers’ Project in Ohio. The final product was published in 1940 and went through several editions. The Ohio Guide Collection consists of 4,769 photographs collected for use in Ohio Guide and other publications of the Federal Writers’ Project in Ohio from 1935-1939. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B11F03_03_001
Subjects: Freedmen--United States; Adult education--Ohio--Columbus; Literacy programs--Ohio--Columbus; African Americans; Works Progress Administration; Ohio Federal Writers' Project
Places: Uhrichsville (Ohio); Tuscarawas County (Ohio)
 

Description: In this photograph, Alfred Murphy, an ex-slave, participates in an adult literacy class as an older man. The reverse of the photograph reads "People at work + play." This photograph is one of the many visual materials collected for use in the Ohio Guide. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Works Progress Administration by executive order to create jobs for the large numbers of unemployed laborers, as well as artists, musicians, actors, and writers. The Federal Arts Program, a sector of the Works Progress Administration, included the Federal Writers’ Project, which administered literacy and arts programs to help the unemployed learn new and valuable skills. One of the primary goals of the Federal Writers' Project was to complete the America Guide series, a series of guidebooks for each state which included state history, art, architecture, music, literature, and points of interest to the major cities and tours throughout the state. Work on the Ohio Guide began in 1935 with the publication of several pamphlets and brochures. The Reorganization Act of 1939 consolidated the Works Progress Administration and other agencies into the Federal Works Administration, and the Federal Writers’ Project became the Federal Writers’ Project in Ohio. The final product was published in 1940 and went through several editions. The Ohio Guide Collection consists of 4,769 photographs collected for use in Ohio Guide and other publications of the Federal Writers’ Project in Ohio from 1935-1939. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B10F08_025_001
Subjects: Freedmen--United States; Adult education--Ohio--Columbus; Literacy programs--Ohio--Columbus; African Americans; Works Progress Administration; Ohio Federal Writers' Project
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)