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)
 

Description: Original description reads: "Preparing for citizenship by learning to read and write in a WPA literacy class in the South Side Settlement House, Columbus, Ohio." On April 8, 1935, the United States Congress passed the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act, part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal, which was hoped would allow Americans to cope with the Great Depression. Creation of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was the most important accomplishment of this Act. This government office hired unemployed Americans to work on various government projects. During its existence, the WPA constructed more than 600,000 miles of roads and built or repaired more than 124,000 bridges, 125,000 public buildings, 8,000 parks, and 850 airport runways. The WPA also included programs to support education and the arts, providing employment opportunities for out of work educators and artists of all varieties. Although the United States Congress reduced funding for the program in 1939, the WPA remained in operation until June 30, 1943. South Side Settlement House, one of the oldest settlements in Columbus, Ohio, was founded in 1899 to help people deal with problems in their daily lives and to help them achieve their aspirations for a better future. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B12F08_044_001
Subjects: Literacy programs--Ohio--Columbus; Naturalization--United States; United States. Works Progress Administration
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)