Though the New Deal was aimed to better the disastrous economic climate of the 1930’s and 1940’s, the efforts concerning African American employment varied and this was highlighted by the CCC’s success in employing thousands of young African American males, the PWA/WPA’s attempt to remove racist biases when hiring workers, and NIRA’s implementation of minimum wages and wage differentials which prompted racist employers to hire white workers rather than African Americans. The CCC was extremely successful in employing African Americans and teaching them in the basics of skilled labor. This was reflected in the number of African Americans who were employed when it was still in existence from 1933 to 1942. For example, the percentage of African
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Also, the CCC gave a monthly pay of 30 dollars and an additional 25 dollars to be sent to their families (Cole 121). This was a clear benefit for African Americans because it beats not being able to receive anything at all by being unemployed, and worse, an African American in the 1930’s. Furthermore, not only did the CCC help employ African Americans in public works, the CCC also provided them with skilled job training. In a pamphlet written by the CCC’s adviser on racial affairs, Edgar Brown, various skilled jobs were listed such as engineering, foreman/leader training, and forestry (Brown). This was revolutionary for African Americans because they would be able to qualify for skilled labor which was not available to them compared to qualifying only for unskilled labor since they generally had no experience in them. To add to that, 11,000 African American enrollees were also able to learn how to read and write and 90% of African American employees attended classes ranging from elementary to college level courses (Brown). These …show more content…
In fact, the PWA instituted a clause that required contractors to satisfy a quota of hiring black workers (Woolner). Though unions failed to comply with the quota, it was still a move forward in eliminating racial biases since African Americans had not been granted protections such as these before the New Deal. This clause was given an “upgrade” by Robert C. Weaver since he decided that it had to be included in the contracts between the PWA and unions (Hill). This was a significant change for African American employment because now contractors would have to fully comply with the clause or else they would be guilty of discrimination. This was reflected in the pay that was distributed to the PWA workers since 31% was being granted to African American workers (Zhang 46). The WPA had also applied certain non-discriminatory laws that continued to protect African American employment chances in the WPA program. In fact, the US government and the WPA’s director, Harry Hopkins, implemented the Executive Order 7046 and the Emergency Relief Act which both prohibited officials from having racial biases concerning white and African American WPA workers (Zhang 47). Despite all these efforts, racial discrimination still tainted employers on a local level and these laws only applied to the WPA,
Also, the CCC gave a monthly pay of 30 dollars and an additional 25 dollars to be sent to their families (Cole 121). This was a clear benefit for African Americans because it beats not being able to receive anything at all by being unemployed, and worse, an African American in the 1930’s. Furthermore, not only did the CCC help employ African Americans in public works, the CCC also provided them with skilled job training. In a pamphlet written by the CCC’s adviser on racial affairs, Edgar Brown, various skilled jobs were listed such as engineering, foreman/leader training, and forestry (Brown). This was revolutionary for African Americans because they would be able to qualify for skilled labor which was not available to them compared to qualifying only for unskilled labor since they generally had no experience in them. To add to that, 11,000 African American enrollees were also able to learn how to read and write and 90% of African American employees attended classes ranging from elementary to college level courses (Brown). These …show more content…
In fact, the PWA instituted a clause that required contractors to satisfy a quota of hiring black workers (Woolner). Though unions failed to comply with the quota, it was still a move forward in eliminating racial biases since African Americans had not been granted protections such as these before the New Deal. This clause was given an “upgrade” by Robert C. Weaver since he decided that it had to be included in the contracts between the PWA and unions (Hill). This was a significant change for African American employment because now contractors would have to fully comply with the clause or else they would be guilty of discrimination. This was reflected in the pay that was distributed to the PWA workers since 31% was being granted to African American workers (Zhang 46). The WPA had also applied certain non-discriminatory laws that continued to protect African American employment chances in the WPA program. In fact, the US government and the WPA’s director, Harry Hopkins, implemented the Executive Order 7046 and the Emergency Relief Act which both prohibited officials from having racial biases concerning white and African American WPA workers (Zhang 47). Despite all these efforts, racial discrimination still tainted employers on a local level and these laws only applied to the WPA,