Photographs Related to the Great Depression and the New Deal
Photograph of Works Progress Administration Worker Receiving Paycheck. Local Identifier: 69-N-19626; National Archives Identifier: 594956
The Great Depression brought about large social change from a time of high unemployment and poverty. One of the largest movements in response to the Great Depression was the United States Government’s “New Deal,” enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt between 1933 and 1939. The New Deal brought about many large Federal Agencies such as the Civilian Conservation Corps, CCC (Record Group 35), the Works Progress Administration (Record Group 69), the Public Works Administration (Record Group 135) and the National Youth Administration (Record Group 119).
The Still Picture Branch at the National Archives and Records Administration holds a variety of photographs within various Record Groups related to the Great Depression and the New Deal. The images range in date from the 1930s to the 1940s and cover subject matter such as pictorial reports, completed projects, arts and the Federal Theater Project, as well as many other related topics. Notable photographers involved in New Deal projects include Lewis Hine and Rondal Partridge. All series listed below have not been fully digitized, unless otherwise noted.
Related holdings are located at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and photographs by the Farm Security Administration (FSA) are located at the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Record Group 35: Records of the Civilian Conservation Corps
Photograph of Civilian Conservation Corps Spelling Exercises. Local Identifier: 35-GE-1G-34-524; National Archives Identifier: 37296564
Resources from Staff
Unwritten Record: Spotlight: Photographs Documenting the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
- This blog post highlights records related to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) that are scattered throughout multiple Record Groups and Series within the Still Picture Branch holdings. This blog post serves as a helpful resource to identify and research all related photographic records.
- This session of the 2018 Genealogy Fair helps researchers navigate records related to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) within the holdings of the Still Picture Branch. The session covers a list of series of records that contain CCC photographs, as well as information as to what type of research they should conduct prior to beginning their search for CCC imagery.
Notable Series
Photograph of Camp Library. Local Identifier: 35-GE-1E-16; National Archives Identifier: 37296558
35-G: Photographs taken by Wilfred J. Mead of CCC Activities, 1940 - 1942
- This series consists of photographs of a wide range of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) activities, including subjects such as building construction, fish and wildlife conservation, work with the National Forest Service, and more. However, not all CCC camps are included within this series.
35-GC: U.S. Army Corps Area Photographic File of CCC Activities, 1935 - 1940
- This series consists of photographs of activities at a variety of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps and is organized by general subject matter such as academic activities, vocational and job training, and informal activities. However, not all CCC camps are included within this series.
35-GE: Photographs of Activities of the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933 - 1940
- This series consists of photographs related to Civilian Conservation Corps activities such as education, recreation, and vocational. However, not all CCC camps are included within this series.
Record Group 69: Records of the Work Projects Administration
New York, New York. Works Progress Administration (WPA) sewing shop at 475 Tenth Avenue, New York City. Local Identifier: 69-N-22420D; National Archives Identifier: 518269
Notable Series
69-N: WPA Information Division Photographic Index, ca. 1936 - ca. 1942
- This series consists of photographs that were used as a photographic index documenting various activities of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Subjects include State photographs, housing, the arts, education, public buildings, and more.
69-PR: Pictorial Report, ca. 1935 - ca. 1943
- This series consists of photographs used in pictorial reports on the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The series is arranged by state and includes photographs highlighting activities of the WPA, including public buildings, education, roads and streets, and more. There are photos for all fifty states, except for Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, and Alaska.
Scott's Run, West Virginia. Interior of the Jere WPA nursery - These children are from unemployed miners' homes. Local Identifier: 69-RP-103; National Archives Identifier: 518388
69-RP: Lewis Hine Photographs for the National Research Project, 1936 - 1937
- This series consists of photographs taken by Lewis Hine documenting 14 industrial communities from December 1936 to July 1937. Images include general view of the community, working conditions, machinery, workers, and more. The series is entirely digitized and available through our online catalog.
Notable Series in other Record Groups
119-CAL: Study of Youth Photographs, 1940 - 1940
- This series consists of photographs taken by Rondal Partridge for the National Youth Administration (NYA). The images document a variety of youth activities, such as unemployed youth, idle youth, hitch-hiking, and more. This series is entirely digitized and available through our online catalog.
Kern County, California. Migrant youth in potato field. Stoop labor by a migratory youth. Local Identifier: 119-CAL-81; National Archives Identifier: 532141
142-H: Lewis Hine Photographs for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), 1933 - 1933
- This series consists of photographs taken by Lewis Hine, documenting a survey of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) activities in East Tennessee from October to November 1933. The series is entirely digitized and available through our online catalog.
162-G: General Photographs of the Federal Works Agency, 1936 - 1944
- This series consists of photographs that are related to the Federal Works Agency (FWA) and fall into two categories, military and non-military. The military photographs cover the activities of draftees and enlistees, the selective service lottery in October of 1940, war workers and more. The non-military photographs show scenes from rural towns and urban centers, road building activities, farm scenes, and more.