3.2.3

The PWA, WPA & the NYA

Test yourself

The PWA, WPA and the NYA

Some administrations did actually help black people.

Illustrative background for The Public Works Administration (PWA)Illustrative background for The Public Works Administration (PWA) ?? "content

The Public Works Administration (PWA)

  • One administration that was helpful to black people was the Public Works Administration (PWA).
  • This was a scheme set up with $3.3 billion dollars that employed hundreds of thousands of workers to construct dams, schools, roads and hospitals.
  • This scheme helped to improve schools for black people, hospitals and homes as $65 million was spent on their construction.
  • Quotas were given to the PWA to ensure that they employed workers who were black.
  • All of the PWA workers had to have equal pay too.
Illustrative background for The WPA (Works Progress Administration)Illustrative background for The WPA (Works Progress Administration) ?? "content

The WPA (Works Progress Administration)

  • The WPA (Works Progress Administration) was set up in 1935.
  • The WPA employed 350,000black people in each year of the 4 years it was in existence.
  • The pay was extremely good and the WPA had excellent provision for education.
    • 5,000 African American teachers were trained and 250,000 black people were taught to read and write by the organisation.
  • Like the PWA, the WPA had quotas of black people that they had to employ.
Illustrative background for The National Youth Administration (NYA)Illustrative background for The National Youth Administration (NYA) ?? "content

The National Youth Administration (NYA)

  • The WPA then set up the National Youth Administration (NYA) which assisted students by giving them part-time jobs whilst they were getting an education.
  • The NYA gave aid and skills to 500,000 black people.

Jump to other topics

1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77

2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890

3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41

4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68

5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09

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