What Do We Know About the WPA?

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The WPA (originally named Works Progress Administration) and later renamed (Works Projects Administration) was part of the “NEW DEAL” that was promised by Franklin D. Roosevelt when he took office as the President of the U.S. in 1933. The Great Depression of the 1930’s caused millions of American citizens to lose their jobs, their savings and their homes. The WPA was created in 1935 to try to get the country back to work and it did. Those millions of people who had lost their jobs now had jobs, building bridges, airports, roads, parks and over 125,000 public buildings nationwide. Another part of the WPA, the National Youth Administration found part-time jobs for the youths of the country. Adult-education classes were also sponsored by the WPA and offered work to people in the arts. Authors were commissioned to write guidebooks and local histories. And artists were hired to create paintings, sculptures and murals for public buildings too. Even actors and musicians were hired to perform in cities and towns across the nation. The WPA paid $54.33 per month as and average wage but it got the country back on its feet and the economy began to grow. After the U.S entered World War II, the WPA was dissolved in 1943. Most older Americans are familiar with the WPA. I know of a DAM that was built in West Virginia by the WPA. People in other countries may not be very familiar with the WPA. For more information: