Topic 3 – THE NEW DEAL (1933-41)
Background
• From 1929-33, the U.S. faced a major economic depression. By 1933, 25% of
people were unemployed.
• Republicans were in power during this period, but their failure to address the crisis
led to Democrats taking over in 1933 with FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) as president.
• FDR’s goals: Help those in poverty, provide aid, create jobs, and prevent future
economic crises.
Influence of Southern White Democrats
1. Party organisation in the US
• Southern Democrats (SD) dominated because they wanted to preserve white
supremacy.
• They controlled many Congress committees, which allowed them to block civil
rights bills.
• FDR needed SD support to pass New Deal laws, so he avoided pushing for civil
rights reforms.
• Congress: Makes laws.
• Supreme Court: Interprets laws.
• President: Enforces laws.
2. John Nance Garner
• FDR’s VP from Texas - experienced
• Supported the ND programmes but also didn’t want to upset SD so accepted
white primaries
3. White Primaries
• A discriminatory practice where only whites could vote in southern primary
elections.
• Despite the 15th Amendment (granting voting rights), the South argued these
elections were private, so they could exclude Black voters.
, 4. FDR’s Court-Packing Plan (1937)
• FDR’s New Deal programs were often blocked by the Supreme Court.
• To fix this, FDR proposed adding a new justice for every Supreme Court member
over 70 (6 members at the time).
• Congress rejected this plan, but the Court began supporting more of FDR’s
programs after the proposal suggesting they felt pressure.
5. Racism and the New Deal
• Most New Deal benefits went to white people, while Black Americans often got left
out.
• To gain Southern white support, racism was often used in elections.
• This even led to proposals for deporting African Americans to reduce competition
for jobs.
Failure of FDR to improve race relations
1. Continuation of Jim Crow laws – De jure
• National level: US armed forces & national parks were segregated
• State level: separate public school – ended in 1954 when Brown vs Topeka case
• Former confederate states: Alabama – no females nurses allowed to nurse in
wards or room where BA were. Railways, restaurants and parks/sport
• Outside former confederate states; public recreational facilities
2. Exclusion of black voters
• Poll taxes ($2) - BA much poorer than whites
• Literacy tests – 60% of BA in SS illiterate
• White primaries
• Threat of violence & intimidation – arrested many BA and you can’t vote if you’re
a felon
• Scared – KKK & lynching was a major social problem, 1932 – almost 5000 victims
of lynching
3. NAACP
• Executive secretary – Walter white
• Inspired by a study of lynching published in 1933, the NAACP saw it as an
opportunity to promote 2 anti-lynching bills
4. Conflict with FDR
Background
• From 1929-33, the U.S. faced a major economic depression. By 1933, 25% of
people were unemployed.
• Republicans were in power during this period, but their failure to address the crisis
led to Democrats taking over in 1933 with FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) as president.
• FDR’s goals: Help those in poverty, provide aid, create jobs, and prevent future
economic crises.
Influence of Southern White Democrats
1. Party organisation in the US
• Southern Democrats (SD) dominated because they wanted to preserve white
supremacy.
• They controlled many Congress committees, which allowed them to block civil
rights bills.
• FDR needed SD support to pass New Deal laws, so he avoided pushing for civil
rights reforms.
• Congress: Makes laws.
• Supreme Court: Interprets laws.
• President: Enforces laws.
2. John Nance Garner
• FDR’s VP from Texas - experienced
• Supported the ND programmes but also didn’t want to upset SD so accepted
white primaries
3. White Primaries
• A discriminatory practice where only whites could vote in southern primary
elections.
• Despite the 15th Amendment (granting voting rights), the South argued these
elections were private, so they could exclude Black voters.
, 4. FDR’s Court-Packing Plan (1937)
• FDR’s New Deal programs were often blocked by the Supreme Court.
• To fix this, FDR proposed adding a new justice for every Supreme Court member
over 70 (6 members at the time).
• Congress rejected this plan, but the Court began supporting more of FDR’s
programs after the proposal suggesting they felt pressure.
5. Racism and the New Deal
• Most New Deal benefits went to white people, while Black Americans often got left
out.
• To gain Southern white support, racism was often used in elections.
• This even led to proposals for deporting African Americans to reduce competition
for jobs.
Failure of FDR to improve race relations
1. Continuation of Jim Crow laws – De jure
• National level: US armed forces & national parks were segregated
• State level: separate public school – ended in 1954 when Brown vs Topeka case
• Former confederate states: Alabama – no females nurses allowed to nurse in
wards or room where BA were. Railways, restaurants and parks/sport
• Outside former confederate states; public recreational facilities
2. Exclusion of black voters
• Poll taxes ($2) - BA much poorer than whites
• Literacy tests – 60% of BA in SS illiterate
• White primaries
• Threat of violence & intimidation – arrested many BA and you can’t vote if you’re
a felon
• Scared – KKK & lynching was a major social problem, 1932 – almost 5000 victims
of lynching
3. NAACP
• Executive secretary – Walter white
• Inspired by a study of lynching published in 1933, the NAACP saw it as an
opportunity to promote 2 anti-lynching bills
4. Conflict with FDR
