Soul of a People Program

Memory Book   |   Events   |   Resources   |   About the Documentary

About Soul of a People

Hundreds of thousands of people had lost their jobs. Banks were collapsing. People could not pay mortgages and abandoned their homes. This was America in 1933, and Franklin D. Roosevelt had just been elected president. To alleviate the crisis in the country’s economic and political systems, Roosevelt quickly created the still controversial Works Progress Administration (WPA) to put people back to work, building roads, bridges, and schools.

This fall, the Jean Burr Smith Library is sponsoring a series of programs supporting the national broadcast of a documentary television program about the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP), a part of the WPA which hired out-of-work writers to record the 'soul' of 1930's America: its buildings and festivals, land and landmarks, and people’s stories.

Our "Soul of a People" Memory Book

A major accomplishment of the Federal Writers' Project (FWP) was the collection of life histories and slave narratives. These autobiographical accounts give us a first-hand account of life during the Great Depression. Now you can help continue the work of the FWP and share your family stories of the Great Depression in our "Soul of a People" Memory Book. Your memories may help others recall their own stories and encourage them to contribute. This is a chance to share history created by the people who lived it!

Submit memories via email or bring the print version to the library; you may also submit a photograph. Be sure to submit only your own content and be sensitive to copyright law. Memories will be posted online and printed out and displayed at our first and third events. (Please note: The memories will be reviewed prior to being posted; we reserve the right to make edits or reject posts.)

Fall 2009 Events

These events are presented by the MxCC Library and Russell Library in Middletown, CT. All events are free and open to the public, and the event locations are handicapped accessible. For more information, contact us!

Resources

1930s America

• Items at the MxCC Library on the Great Depression
• 1930s Films at the MxCC Library
• Web links on 1930s America

The Federal Writers' Project (FWP)

• Items at MxCC Library on the FWP
• History of the FWP (from Encyclopedia Britannica)
• "Unmasking Writers of the WPA" (New York Times article)
• The American Guide Series created by the FWP
  • History of the American Guides (from U.S. Senate website)
  • The current "American Guides Project"
• American Life Histories recorded by the FWP
  • About the histories (from the Library of Congress)
  • Manuscripts (from the Library of Congress)
• Slave Narratives recorded by the FWP
  • About the narratives (from the Library of Congress)
  • Manuscripts (from the Library of Congress)
• FWP's "America Eats" project
  • America Eats images (from the Library of Congress)
  • America Eats stories (from National Public Radio)
  • "Food Bloggers of 1940" (New York Times article)

Zora Neale Hurston

• Zora Neale Hurston (Black History Month Biographies, Gale Cengage)
• Zora Neale Hurston chronology (from the Library of Congress)
• The Zora Heale Hurston Plays at the Library of Congress

"Soul of a People"

• At the MxCC Library
  • "Soul of a People" book - Check item availability
  • "Soul of a People" DVD - Check item availability
• Film showing on Smithsonian Channel
• Film credits (see below)
• "Soul of a People" website and blog

About the 'Soul of a People' Documentary

Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story is a major documentary television program about the Federal Writers’ Project produced by Spark Media, Washington, D.C., and broadcast on the Smithsonian Channel HD (http://www.Smithsonianchannel.com). Soul of a People programs in libraries are sponsored by the American Library Association Public Programs Office with the support of the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life.

Page last updated: October 28 2009