The Plight of Ordinary People during the Great Depression

The Great Depression touched people at every race and income level. It seemed no one was exempt from the emotional and economic toll of the downturn. Lives were turned upside down, and many did not know how to cope. With the financial collapse, kids lost their college funds, and families lost their homes. Families had to resort to making shelter any way they could. Communities were erected in almost every state that consisted of shelters made of crates and metal sheets; these communities were known as â€Å"Hoovervilles† (Leuchtenburg, pg. 251). Others would seek refuge in caves, subways, and under bridges (Leuchtenburg, pg. 252). The life savings of many were lost before anyone could comprehend what was happening. Many businesses†¦show more content†¦164-165). For African Americans, unemployment was the highest in the countryside of the south (Kennedy, pg. 164). One fifth of those on relief were African American (Kennedy, pg. 164). Many African Americans and other minorities who sought work were met with hatred and racism because many whites felt that for every minority that obtained a job resulted in one less job for them (Letters: Requests for Money ). The injustice suffered by minorities was so perverse, that children learned at an early age that they were considered inferior by whites. This is evident in an excerpt from a letter written to Eleanor Roosevelt by a young girl from Old Saybrook, Conn.: â€Å"†¦I couldnt bring my self to ask just any body to do this. I had to ask some one who has money and some one who is good and kind to colored people and does not hate them. You know as well as I do that a lot of the white people hate the colored people, so I couldnt ask just anybody like a white girl could†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Letters: Requests for Money ). The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 was the New Deal for the Indian nation. 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