The Resettlement Administration (RA) was a New DealU.S. federal agency created May 1, 1935.[1] It relocated struggling urban and rural families to communities planned by the federal government. On September 1, 1937, it was succeeded by the Farm Security Administration.
The divisions of the new organization included Rural Rehabilitation, Rural Resettlement, Land Utilization, and Suburban Resettlement.[2] Roosevelt transferred the Federal Emergency Relief Administration land program to the Resettlement Administration under Executive Order 7028 on May 1, 1935.[3]
However, Tugwell's goal of moving 650,000 people from 100,000,000 acres (400,000 km2) of agriculturally exhausted, worn-out land was unpopular among the majority in Congress.[4] This goal seemed socialistic to some and threatened to deprive influential farm owners of their tenant workforce.[4] The RA was thus left with enough resources to relocate only a few thousand people from 9,000,000 acres (36,000 km2) and build several greenbelt cities,[4] which planners admired as models for a cooperative future that never arrived.[4]
Relief camps for migrant workersedit
Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace (left) with Will W. Alexander, appointed to head the Resettlement Administration (December 22, 1936)
The main focus of the RA was to build relief camps in California for migratory workers, especially refugees from the drought-struck Dust Bowl of the Southwest.[4] This move was resisted by a large share of Californians, who did not want destitute migrants to settle in their midst.[4] The RA managed to construct 95 camps that gave migrants (unaccustomed to clean quarters) housing with running water and other amenities,[4] but the 75,000 people who had the benefit of the camps were a small share of those in need and even they could stay only temporarily.[4] Tugwell resigned in 1936, wanting to prevent a red-baiting campaign against him from affecting the agency.[4]
On January 1, 1937,[5] with hopes of making the RA more effective, the Resettlement Administration was transferred to the Department of Agriculture through executive order 7530.[5] In the face of Congressional criticism, in September 1937[5] the Resettlement Administration was folded into a new body, the Farm Security Administration (FSA), which operated until 1946.[5]
Communities and greenbelt citiesedit
The RA worked with nearly 200 communities on its projects, notably including:
Sidney Robertson Cowell's recordings of folk songs, conducted during the summer of 1937, sponsored by the RA's Special Skills Division, and now stored at the University of Wisconsin.
^ abRoosevelt, Franklin D. (May 1, 1935). "Executive Order No. 7027: The Resettlement Administration Is Established - May 1, 1935". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. pp. 143–155.
^Sternsher, Bernard (1964). Rexford Tugwell and the New Deal. Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. pp. 262–265. OCLC 466310.
^Roosevelt, Franklin D. (May 1, 1935). "Executive Order No. 7028: Transfer of Land Program of F.E.R.A. to the Resettlement Administration - May 1, 1935". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. pp. 155–156.
Meriam; Lewis. Relief and Social Security The Brookings Institution. 1946 (analysis and statistical summary of all the New Deal relief programs)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Resettlement Administration.
Wisconsin Folksong Collection, 1937-1946. Presented by the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center and Mills Music Library Special Collections.
Ohio History Central on Resettlement Administration
Oklahoma History on Resettlement Administration
, of the Resettlement Administration, the Division of Subsistence Homesteads, and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, from the National New Deal Preservation Association
resettlement, administration, deal, federal, agency, created, 1935, relocated, struggling, urban, rural, families, communities, planned, federal, government, september, 1937, succeeded, farm, security, administration, poster, bernarda, bryson, shahn, 1936, age. The Resettlement Administration RA was a New Deal U S federal agency created May 1 1935 1 It relocated struggling urban and rural families to communities planned by the federal government On September 1 1937 it was succeeded by the Farm Security Administration Resettlement AdministrationResettlement Administration poster by Bernarda Bryson Shahn c 1936 Agency overviewFormedMay 1 1935 1935 05 01 PrecedingSubsistence Homesteads Division DSH or SHD United States Department of the InteriorDissolvedSeptember 1 1937Superseding agencyFarm Security AdministrationAgency executiveRexford G Tugwell Head Contents 1 History 2 Relief camps for migrant workers 3 Communities and greenbelt cities 4 Photography film and folk song projects 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory editThe RA was the brainchild of Rexford G Tugwell an economics professor at Columbia University who became an advisor to Franklin D Roosevelt during the latter s successful campaign for the presidency in 1932 and then held positions in the United States Department of Agriculture Roosevelt established the RA under Executive Order 7027 1 as one of the New Deal s alphabet agencies and Tugwell became its head The divisions of the new organization included Rural Rehabilitation Rural Resettlement Land Utilization and Suburban Resettlement 2 Roosevelt transferred the Federal Emergency Relief Administration land program to the Resettlement Administration under Executive Order 7028 on May 1 1935 3 However Tugwell s goal of moving 650 000 people from 100 000 000 acres 400 000 km2 of agriculturally exhausted worn out land was unpopular among the majority in Congress 4 This goal seemed socialistic to some and threatened to deprive influential farm owners of their tenant workforce 4 The RA was thus left with enough resources to relocate only a few thousand people from 9 000 000 acres 36 000 km2 and build several greenbelt cities 4 which planners admired as models for a cooperative future that never arrived 4 Relief camps for migrant workers edit nbsp Secretary of Agriculture Henry A Wallace left with Will W Alexander appointed to head the Resettlement Administration December 22 1936 The main focus of the RA was to build relief camps in California for migratory workers especially refugees from the drought struck Dust Bowl of the Southwest 4 This move was resisted by a large share of Californians who did not want destitute migrants to settle in their midst 4 The RA managed to construct 95 camps that gave migrants unaccustomed to clean quarters housing with running water and other amenities 4 but the 75 000 people who had the benefit of the camps were a small share of those in need and even they could stay only temporarily 4 Tugwell resigned in 1936 wanting to prevent a red baiting campaign against him from affecting the agency 4 On January 1 1937 5 with hopes of making the RA more effective the Resettlement Administration was transferred to the Department of Agriculture through executive order 7530 5 In the face of Congressional criticism in September 1937 5 the Resettlement Administration was folded into a new body the Farm Security Administration FSA which operated until 1946 5 Communities and greenbelt cities editThe RA worked with nearly 200 communities on its projects notably including Tillery North Carolina Farmstead Jasper Alabama this development began by the WPA included 40 homes churches a civic center and a school Arthurdale West Virginia first community begun by Subsistence Homesteads and pet project of Eleanor Roosevelt Cahaba Village in Trussville Alabama begun by the Works Progress Administration Palmerdale in Pinson Alabama parts built by the Works Progress Administration Jersey Homesteads begun by the Division of Subsistence Homesteads Cumberland Homesteads near Crossville Tennessee begun by the Division of Subsistence Homesteads Christian Trigg Farms near Hopkinsville Kentucky built by the RA and Farm Security Administration Greenbelt Maryland completely planned and constructed by the RA outside Washington D C Greendale Wisconsin another new town built by the RA outside Milwaukee Wisconsin Greenhills Ohio the third of the RA s new towns built outside Cincinnati Ohio Hickory Ridge Virginia now Prince William Forest Park Caney Lakes Recreation Area in Webster Parish Louisiana Greenbrook New Jersey planned by the RA but never built Matanuska Valley Colony Alaska near what is now Palmer Alaska Aksarben Nebraska Mileston Mississippi one of thirteen resettlement communities that were entirely African American 6 The Weedpatch Camp also known as the Arvin Federal Government Camp and the Sunset Labor Camp now on the National Register of Historic Places was built in 1936 south of Bakersfield California not by the Resettlement Administration but by the Works Progress Administration The camp inspired John Steinbeck s 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath Photography film and folk song projects editThe RA also funded projects recording aspects of its work and context including The Photography Project which documented the rural poverty of the Great Depression and produced thousands of images that are now stored and available at the Library of Congress was headed up by Roy Stryker The Film Project which produced two documentaries directed by Pare Lorentz and scored by Virgil Thomson The Plow That Broke the Plains and The River Sidney Robertson Cowell s recordings of folk songs conducted during the summer of 1937 sponsored by the RA s Special Skills Division and now stored at the University of Wisconsin See also editDust Bowl National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 Subsistence Homesteads DivisionReferences editCitations a b Roosevelt Franklin D May 1 1935 Executive Order No 7027 The Resettlement Administration Is Established May 1 1935 Internet Archive Washington D C National Archives and Records Service pp 143 155 Sternsher Bernard 1964 Rexford Tugwell and the New Deal Brunswick New Jersey Rutgers University Press pp 262 265 OCLC 466310 Roosevelt Franklin D May 1 1935 Executive Order No 7028 Transfer of Land Program of F E R A to the Resettlement Administration May 1 1935 Internet Archive Washington D C National Archives and Records Service pp 155 156 a b c d e f g h i Farm Security Administration a b c d Records of the Farmers Home Administration Wood Spencer Mileston Mississippi Encyclopedia Mississippi Humanities Council Retrieved 5 June 2021 SourcesMeriam Lewis Relief and Social Security The Brookings Institution 1946 analysis and statistical summary of all the New Deal relief programs External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Resettlement Administration Wisconsin Folksong Collection 1937 1946 Presented by the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center and Mills Music Library Special Collections Ohio History Central on Resettlement Administration Oklahoma History on Resettlement Administration Complete List of New Deal Communities of the Resettlement Administration the Division of Subsistence Homesteads and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration from the National New Deal Preservation Association Pine Mountain Valley Resettlement Project historical marker in Pine Mountain GeorgiaPortals nbsp Agriculture nbsp Housing nbsp Politics nbsp United States Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Resettlement Administration amp oldid 1207530941, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
