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Why The Federal Theatre Project Shouldn T Have Been Shut Down

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Why The Federal Theatre Project Shouldn’t Have Been Shut Down
The Federal Theatre Project started in 1935 as a New Deal program to fund theatre and other live artistic performances and entertainment programs in the United States during the Great Depression. It was one of five Federal Project Number One projects sponsored by the Works Progress Administration. In addition, The Federal theatre Project was ran by Hallie Flanagan, a woman of great determination to make the program a success, and succeeded. The Federal Theatre Project opened up its doors to many different plays for free so families to enjoy as well as jobs, and acting opportunities for everyone including minorities. So it was upsetting and unreasonable to shut down The Federal Theatre …show more content…

But unfortunately the reality was that the minorities had much harder times than white Americans. In 1933, the general unemployment rate in the United States was over 25 percent; at the same time, unemployment rates for various American minorities ranged up to 50 percent or more (“Great Depression and the New Deal Reference Library”1). Racial discrimination was high and minorities were the first to loose their jobs during the Great Depression. They were denied to work. They were often denied employment in public works programs, they were sometimes threatened at relief centers when applying for work or assistance, and even some charities refused to provide food to needy minorities, especially to blacks in the South. The Crime rate also increased against the minorities during the Depression, as whites competed for jobs traditionally held by minorities (“Great Depression and the New Deal Reference Library” 1). Minorities were also excluded from union membership, to keep antidiscrimination requirements out of the New Deal laws. But the Federal theatre …show more content…

The middle class consisted of people who worked 9 to 5 jobs, and were able to afford entertainment. Meaning that this was the first time children were able to start actually living what we consider today as childhood, now that they don’t have to work in factories (“Impact of the Great Depression on Family and Home”1). However, during the great depression many middle class workers lost their jobs or had to work more hours for less money. Robbing these children of the freedoms they were previously given. Unfortunately, many children were pulled from school so they could get jobs to help provide for the family, some were sent away to live with other relatives, and many ran away (“What Were the Effects on the Children of the Great Depression?” 1). However, the Federal Theatre Project tried helping the children by offering art classes, this was a way to help out with their daily struggles of reality (“The Art Story: Works Progress Administration (WPA)” 1). Although the program did good things in the community not everyone supported the Federal Theatre

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