About Homelessness During the Great Depression
The Great Depression (1929 to 1939) was a time of unprecedented economic hardship for the United States. Amid widespread unemployment and economic and environmental disasters, many people found themselves unable to afford their homes. A wave of homeless swept the nation, some of them winding up in improvised communities, others constantly on the move via the railroad. Social services were few and far between and government responses were slow.
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Misconceptions
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It would be wrong to view the Great Depression as being simply a result of the stock market crash of 1929. While the collapse of Wall Street and multiple banks was a significant factor, it was one of several global factors that led to the worldwide economic problems. There had been emerging indications of trouble before the crash, most notably in the declining ability of consumers to buy goods. Workers in agriculture and industry had seen their wages either fall or at least not keep pace with rising costs. Coupled with economic and government attitudes that viewed any intervention as a bad thing, the collapse was almost inevitable. Nor was it confined to the United States alone. The Great Depression was a global phenomena.
History
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In the wake of the Crash of 1929, the government of the United States led by President Hebert Hoover was reluctant at first to intervene, espousing the laissez-faire, or "hands off," approach to economics. Even when aid began to be appropriated, much of it failed to find its way to the average citizen. As a result of increased unemployment, more and more citizens found themselves unable to maintain the payments on their homes or rent. Farmers suffered as well, both from the economy and the environmental disaster of the Dust Bowl, which led to increased foreclosures. While some turned to their families, many others had nowhere to go.
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Size
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Except for Germany, the United States was hardest hit by unemployment. With nearly a third of Americans out of a job, homelessness soared. The crisis exploded almost overnight, with cities reporting increases in homelessness of almost sevenfold. Figures from the government put the number at roughly one and a half million people, and that was a conservative estimate. The homeless epidemic hit all groups. It wasn't just men who found themselves living on the streets--whole families had nowhere to go. The numbers of African American homeless also increased by almost a quarter. Women, children and minorities often faced the added struggle of dealing with prejudice from the communities from which they sought help.
Features
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A unique aspect of homelessness during the Depression was the emergence of shanty towns called Hoovervilles. Derogatorily named after President Hoover, they were cobbled together by the homeless in various locations around the United States. Men, women and even children who had no place else to go came together in makeshift communities. The homeless would sleep in tents or in shacks made out of cardboard or other flimsy materials. One of the largest of the time was located in Central Park in New York City. There were simply not enough shelters and other charitable organizations available to deal with the sudden increase in the numbers of homeless, and public officials were often overwhelmed, leaving the homeless to fend for themselves.
Significance
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One of the lasting cultural images to emerge from the ranks of the homeless was that of the hobo riding the rails. Many homeless men and boys did travel from place to place by catching rides on moving trains. This was a dangerous life, although a cultural emphasis was placed on the "freedom" the lifestyle afforded. In societal terms, the widespread homelessness provided the most visible gauge of the nation's economy, and the shanty-towns would persist until 1941. These and other homeless indicators reinforced the need for some form of government aid, as well as the recognition that pure laissez-faire did not work. However, in the wake of World War II, the social issues raised would be largely forgotten until President Johnson's Great Society.
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Resources
- Photo Credit http://hubpages.com/hub/Hoovervilles
