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NYGiant
home
USA
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Posts: 953
Joined: 2021
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FDR creates the CCC
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On April 5, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt establishes the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), an innovative federally funded organization that put tens of thousands of Americans to work during the Great Depressionon projects with environmental benefits.
In 1932, FDR took America’s political helm during the country’s worst economic crisis, declaring a “government worthy of its name must make a fitting response” to the suffering of the unemployed. He implemented the CCC a little over one month into his presidency as part of his administration’s “New Deal” plan for social and economic progress. The CCC reflected FDR’s deep commitment to environmental conservation. He waxed poetic when lobbying for the its passage, declaring “the forests are the lungs of our land [which] purify our air and give fresh strength to our people.”
The CCC, also known as “Roosevelt’s Tree Army,” was open to unemployed, unmarried U.S. male citizens between the ages of 18 and 26. All recruits had to be healthy and were expected to perform hard physical labor. Blacks were placed in de-facto segregated camps, although administrators denied the practice of discrimination. Enlistment in the program was for a minimum of 6 months; many re-enlisted after their first term. Participants were paid $30 a month and often given supplemental basic and vocational education while they served.
Under the guidance of the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, CCC employees fought forest fires, planted trees, cleared and maintained access roads, re-seeded grazing lands and implemented soil-erosion controls. They built wildlife refuges, fish-rearing facilities, water storage basins and animal shelters. To encourage citizens to get out and enjoy America’s natural resources, FDR authorized the CCC to build bridges and campground facilities. From 1933 to 1942, the CCC employed over 3 million men.
Of Roosevelt’s many New Deal policies, the CCC is considered by many to be one of the most enduring and successful. It provided the model for future state and federal conservation programs. In 1942, Congress discontinued appropriations for the CCC, diverting the desperately needed funds to the effort to win World War II.
FDR creates Civilian Conservation Corps
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fdr-creates-civilian-conservation-corps?cmpid=email-hist-tdih-2023-0405-04052023&om_rid=21539c69abde70e4e3fda02b9d14d1819c3badeaf5a2bcab48a023eefe0cd3d2
On April 5, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt establishes the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), an innovative federally funded organization that put tens of thousands of Americans to work during the Great Depression on projects with environmental benefits. In 1932, FDR took America’s political helm during the country’s worst economic crisis, declaring a “government worthy of […]
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FDR knew that the way to get out of a Depression, was to keep people employed.
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jahenders
Colorado Springs
CO USA
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Posts: 681
Joined: 2017
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FDR creates the CCC
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The CCC appears to have been one of the most effective jobs / public works programs in US history (unless you count the military).
My dad served in it for several months stringing up phone lines in areas that had few if any.
It was relatively cheap, gave lots of men employment, eased unemployment overall, and got a lot of things built that might not otherwise have been built.
Some of the works they created are amazing. For instance, at Colorado National Monument several 'companies' of CCC men were involved over years. Over 8 years approximately 20 miles of the road, over 200 culverts, 3 tunnels and 6 overlooks were fit/sculpted into the landscape to best show off the magnificent mesas and canyons. In the process 9 or 10 men died.
What's sad is that it would be ruinously expensive to do anything like what the CCC accomplished today. Today people would demand a few thousand a month (vs $30), much nicer accommodations (vs tents), comfy work conditions, short work hours, and near-perfect safety.
So, yes, the CCC was quite effective.
CCC camps were much better than Roosevelt's later concentration camps for Japanese-Americans ...
Jim
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OpanaPointer
St. Louis
MO USA
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Posts: 1892
Joined: 2010
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FDR creates the CCC
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My Mother said that it saved several families in their area (southern Missouri). The strong young lads got $20/week, with $15 going to their families. That was frequently the only cash money some folks saw before harvest time, if they worked a farm. My mother was third generation Irish-American and there was eight mouths to feed. The oldest boy went to the CCC and Mom saw her first cash money when the check came in. Sh told me she would put a dollar in her shoe and herd the young ones to the town where that dollar bought six tickets to the movies and popcorn and soda to share around.
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Michigan Dave
Muskegon
MI USA
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Posts: 8091
Joined: 2006
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FDR creates the CCC
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OP,
The CCC was quite active in Michigan, lots of jobs, & projects!
Regards,
MD
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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OpanaPointer
St. Louis
MO USA
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Posts: 1892
Joined: 2010
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FDR creates the CCC
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Ubiquitous because it was needed.
I don't know for certain but given the times I think the CCC was segregated?
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Brian Grafton
Victoria
BC Canada
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Posts: 4720
Joined: 2004
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FDR creates the CCC
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OP, the camps were, it seems, segregated (see Giants original post). That may not have been such a bad thing at the time, depending on a lot of factors beyond my understanding.
Canada had similar camps, instituted by PM R.B. Bennet in October 1932. They were known Unemployment Relief Camps, and IIUC they were less than successful. Whether Canada’s work camps were worse than US equivalents I can’t say, but men worked a 44-hour week, while being provided with clothing, beds, 3-meals-a-day, and (this surprised me) medical care. They were paid 20¢ per day, which seems to me so low that they were little different than indentured servants. They were free to leave the Camp system at any time, of course, but the alternatives must have looked bleak indeed.
In 1935, there was a little-discussed rejection of the conditions, payment policies and value of the Relief Camps. This took the form what is known (but I’m not sure how well-known) as the “On To Ottawa” trek of 1935, a Vancouver-based but Vancouver Island-led “march” on Ottawa. No question about it: it was Communist-led, largely out of the coal mines in the Ladysmith-Nanaimo region of Vancouver Island. It was in effect a hobo-march, using Canada’s national train system. As the trouble-makers headed east their mass grew, but Ottawa was never reached. It’s a good story, unless you wet yourself when communists/bolsheviks are discussed.
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/unemployment-relief-camps
Cheers Brian G
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"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly.
"The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
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Michigan Dave
Muskegon
MI USA
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Posts: 8091
Joined: 2006
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FDR creates the CCC
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Quote: OP, the camps were, it seems, segregated (see Giants original post). That may not have been such a bad thing at the time, depending on a lot of factors beyond my understanding.
Canada had similar camps, instituted by PM R.B. Bennet in October 1932. They were known Unemployment Relief Camps, and IIUC they were less than successful. Whether Canada’s work camps were worse than US equivalents I can’t say, but men worked a 44-hour week, while being provided with clothing, beds, 3-meals-a-day, and (this surprised me) medical care. They were paid 20¢ per day, which seems to me so low that they were little different than indentured servants. They were free to leave the Camp system at any time, of course, but the alternatives must have looked bleak indeed.
In 1935, there was a little-discussed rejection of the conditions, payment policies and value of the Relief Camps. This took the form what is known (but I’m not sure how well-known) as the “On To Ottawa” trek of 1935, a Vancouver-based but Vancouver Island-led “march” on Ottawa. No question about it: it was Communist-led, largely out of the coal mines in the Ladysmith-Nanaimo region of Vancouver Island. It was in effect a hobo-march, using Canada’s national train system. As the trouble-makers headed east their mass grew, but Ottawa was never reached. It’s a good story, unless you wet yourself when communists/bolsheviks are discussed.
[Read More]
Cheers
Brian G
Hi Brian,
Made your website an easy "read more"!
MD
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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OpanaPointer
St. Louis
MO USA
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Posts: 1892
Joined: 2010
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FDR creates the CCC
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"OP, the camps were, it seems, segregated (see Giants original post). That may not have been such a bad thing at the time, depending on a lot of factors beyond my understanding."
It would be have a disaster, race riots and lynchings as response to forced association with negros. My father was a Kluxxer, the local Klan held one of their monthly meetings in our 3 car garage. I was required to attend. It was, in fact the only interaction I had with my father. Ever. I was happy that way.
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Brian Grafton
Victoria
BC Canada
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Posts: 4720
Joined: 2004
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FDR creates the CCC
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“It would be have a disaster, race riots and lynchings as response to forced association with negros. My father was a Kluxxer, the local Klan held one of their monthly meetings in our 3 car garage. I was required to attend. It was, in fact the only interaction I had with my father. Ever. I was happy that way.” That raises one area where I lack understanding. Would the CCC camps not be policed? Was the rule of law sufficiently bent that riots and lynchings would be ignored? I’m not naive, and I know that FDR was not particularly concerned with the US black community (most of his progressive legislation in that area came from Eleanor, IIUC). But was the law so biased systemically?
I have only recently found out that one of my grandfathers (a prairie boy in Saskatchewan) was an active member of the Canadian KKK. I believe their values were somewhat different from those driving the US KKK, but white supremacy and Christian values made easy targets of Jews, Bohunks and both native and Meti peoples. My life was far enough removed from that influence that I only recently found hints of the connection. I was only submitted to standard nastiness as I grew up after WW2 (Japs, Chinks, DPs, Dagos, etc.); I recognized very early that my father was not just uncomfortable with foreign values, but prepared to fight against them. Ah, the values we were raised with! …
Cheers Brian G
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"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly.
"The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
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OpanaPointer
St. Louis
MO USA
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Posts: 1892
Joined: 2010
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FDR creates the CCC
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The police didn't patrol the CCC camps insofar as I know. Given that there was racial tension in so many places before WWII I doubt they'd be up to adding another area of responsibility. AND many of the very white-dominated police would have stopped any outbreaks of racism. As late as the 1960s police v. blacks wasn't worth of mention in the local papers. Nor was lynchings. My 1935 family would not have moved into the house I bought last year because the area is multi-racial. Things have changed. I'm waving neighbor to the folks around here now.
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Michigan Dave
Muskegon
MI USA
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Posts: 8091
Joined: 2006
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FDR creates the CCC
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The topic is the CCC not the KKK?
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"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
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jahenders
Colorado Springs
CO USA
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Posts: 681
Joined: 2017
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FDR creates the CCC
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Quote: The topic is the CCC not the KKK?
Yeah, note sure how we got from one to the other. Is it because both have 3 instances of the same letter??
That being said, I did note that the same FDR who created the CCC was also the man who ordered concentration camps for Japanese-Americans and kept them in place past when there was even a theoretical threat.
Jim
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