 W.P.A. Georgia Writers Project life stories
Collection DescriptionHistorical NoteThe WPA Federal Writers Project was a program established in the United States in 1935 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as part of the New Deal struggle against the Great Depression. It provided jobs for unemployed writers, editors, and research workers. Directed by Henry G. Alsberg, it operated in all states and at one time employed 6,600 men and women. The American Guide series, the project's most important achievement, included guides for every state and territory (except Hawaii), as well as for Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Philadelphia; for several major highways (U.S. 1, Ocean Highway, Oregon Trail); and for scores of towns, villages, and counties. The state guides, encyclopaedic in scope, combined travel information with essays on geography, architecture, history, and commerce. The project also produced ethnic studies, folklore collections, local histories, nature studies-a total of more than 1,000 books and pamphlets. Encyclopedia Britannica Online http://www.britannica.com (Retrieved September 23, 2009) Scope and ContentThe collection consists of over 150 oral history interviews. In 1939 and 1940 the W.P.A. workers went to the homes and businesses of men and women, both black and white, and asked them to tell about their lives and business experiences. The stories were written down in the words and dialect used. The stories were later edited, which included changing the real names of the persons mentioned and changing some of the titles. The majority of the persons interviewed lived in the Athens area. Some of those interviewed remembered the days of slavery and the Civil War. Others discussed their jobs, such as farmer, washwoman, principal, and insurance agent. All of the transcripts are photocopies. Organization and ArrangementUnarranged. Stories are listed by title in no particular order. This collection contains much duplicate material, the originals of which may be located in other collections. Consult an archivist for assistance. Administrative InformationPreferred CitationW.P.A. Georgia Writers Project life stories, ms2872, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries. Finding Aid PublicationFinding aid prepared on: 2010 August 9. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject TermsRelated Collections in this RepositoryRelated materials available in the following collections of this repository: Works Progress Administration in Georgia photographs, ms2861; Works Progress Administration, Georgia records survey, ms1063; Telamon Cuyler collection, ms1170; W.P.A. Georgia Writers Project, ms1500. | ||||||||||||||||||