(3b) The impact of the New Deal on ethnic minorities Flashcards
to what extent did black americans benefit from the new deal
Whilst measures did still favour white Americans, millions of black Americans did benefit from the New Deal
summarise the impact of the new deal on ethnic minorities
The New Deal did little for ethnic minorities, apart from Native Americans
Ethnic minorities did benefit from many New Deal measures, but did face discrimination
As a result of New Deal measures many black Americans shifted allegiance to the Democrats
Series of Race Riots in 1943
During WW1 Japanese Americans did much worse
the wpa found work for how many african americans
WPA, led by Harry Hopkins: 1936-40 found work for 350,000 black Americans every year
what relief measures did black americans benefit from
Benefitted from Wagner Act and Social Security Act if working in jobs included
Education programmes: over 5,000 black teachers employed
Roles in Federal government
Support from many prominent people in FDR’s government, e.g. Eleanor Roosevelt and Harold Ickes
Mary McLeod Bethune, National Youth Administration. Some refer to the “Black cabinet”, made up of black Americans to advise on issues of race - but none on FDR’s official cabinet.
what was executive order 8802
1941: Executive Order 8802 outlawed discrimination in defence industry and set up the Fair Employment and Practices Committee (FEPC).
Changing voting behaviour
Traditionally, black Americans voted Republican, as this had been Abraham Lincoln’s anti-slavery party who had won the Civil War (1860s)
shift in alleigance
During the New Deal, complete shift in allegiance (mainly in the North as only 5% of black Americans in the South could vote)
1940, all 15 black-American wards in 9 major cities voted for FDR. Black majority area Harlem, New York, Roosevelt won 85% of the vote
limitations of roosevelts help towards minorities
Roosevelt relied on the votes of Southern Democrats - many of them racists and resistant to opportunities for black Americans
Anti-lynching bills 1934, 1937 - FDR did not support them and both failed
FDR did little to end legal segregation, and black Americans on large remained second class citizens
impsct of new deal on native mericans
Probably the only ethnic minority group to have explicitly benefited from the New Deal
what was the 1934 The Indian Reorganisation Act:
1934 The Indian Reorganisation Act: a break away from the former, harmful, policy of assimilation (1887 Dawes Severalty Act). Native American culture was celebrated whilst encouraged to modernise, for example, giving them control of land sales on reservations
limitations of the indian reorganisation act
Officials did their best to ensure native americans were part of alphabet agency employment, but scale of deprivation was so high that short term employment didn’t have much effect
By 1939 average income was $1,300, what was it for Native Americans?
By 1939 average income was $500 compared to national average of $1,300
How many hispanic Americans had been repatriated to Mexico during the Depression
When the Depression hit, it is estimated that up to 2 million workers were deported back to Mexico, even if they’d been born in the USA. This was to create jobs for Americans. Those who stayed saw wages fall from 35 cents an hour 1928, to 14 cents an hour 1933.
Why did Hispanic Americans not benefit at all from the New Deal?
Migrant workers were excluded from most of the New Deal legislation e.g. NIRA and Wagner Act, meaning they could not from labour unions. The AAA meant there was need for fewer workers as land was taken out of production.
Of all ethnic groups it is generally agreed that the Hispanic Americans fared the worst during this period.
