Question
Some people think of the Great Depression (1929-1939) as a monster, and here's the thing about monsters—they don't waste time considering what or whom to smash. They just smash everything in sight. The Great Depression was the same way. It impacted everyone, from bankers to farmers, smashing through cultural, economic, and geographic boundaries.
To combat the monster, President Franklin Roosevelt enacted the New Deal, a series of programs designed to give people a hand. Look in a history book. There are probably sets of initials like AAA, WPA, and TVA, each of which was a New Deal program. One of the programs, the NYA (National Youth Administration), had a division that was aimed specifically at young Black Americans. It was called the Division of Negro Affairs.
Black Americans went through a particularly rough stretch during the Great Depression. Unemployment rates were two to three times higher for Black people than for White people. Black Americans were also usually the first to lose their jobs when things went sour because of racial discrimination. What's worse, most New Deal programs were out of reach for people of color, as prejudiced administrators directed relief to White men.
To run the Division of Negro Affairs, Roosevelt turned to Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator whose accomplishments included opening a college, working tirelessly for civil rights, and starting an insurance company. Initially, Bethune wasn't sure she wanted the job. But when she was told that if she didn't take it, "they'll get a man," she reconsidered. When she started, Bethune set some ground rules. First, the NYA would have to allow Black youth to participate in numbers proportional to their share of the population. And second, the program would hire Black administrators to ensure that aid wasn't funneled only to White people.
The NYA assisted people who were enrolled in school and those who weren't. For young people attending school, the goal was to keep them there. The financial pressures of the Great Depression made staying in school seem like a luxury to some. Think about it: If the choice came down to paying for food or for college, which would be the top priority? Additionally, when young people dropped out of school, they provided more competition for jobs. That made things even harder for everyone.
To prevent this downward spiral, the NYA offered a deal. The program would give funds to help young people pay their tuition. In exchange, students would work part-time jobs that were in line with what they were studying. Many students took the deal and did just about everything imaginable. They worked in libraries, conducted academic research, painted buildings, made furniture, acted as guides at national parks, fixed plumbing, and even dug sewer ditches.
For people who couldn't afford to stay in school, the program provided training in areas where they could immediately help their communities. So, some young people were trained in home economics and gave food to those who needed it. Others were trained in nursing and helped people who had tuberculosis and other illnesses. Still others studied trades and fixed desks for schools, made parts for airplanes, and improved ramshackle buildings.
There were also some ambitious large-scale projects. Due to segregation, there weren't many public recreational opportunities for Black Americans. The nation was filled with parks, pools, and playgrounds, but they were almost all "Whites only." The NYA worked to solve this problem. In Georgia, 81 young Black men and women cleared a 150-acre (61-hectare) site. They made it into an outdoor camp for Black children. The camp included 24 cabins, a dining hall, 10 tennis courts, two basketball courts, and a swimming pool. Workers also built a 500-foot (152-meter) dam on a river that created a giant lake.
As World War II approached, the NYA changed direction. To help the country mobilize, many young Black Americans took jobs related to the war effort, like sewing, welding, and machine work. In the end, close to 300,000 Black youths participated in the NYA program, improving life for all Americans while learning essential skills that helped them acquire jobs when the economy gained strength.
QUESTION 6
6 / 8
Which passage from the Article best supports the idea that the NYA wanted to do more than just provide job skills and training for young Black Americans?
In Georgia, 81 young Black men and women cleared a 150-acre (61-hectare) site. They made it into an outdoor camp for Black children.
In the end, close to 300,000 Black youths participated in the NYA program…learning essential skills that helped them acquire jobs when the economy gained strength.
Many students took the deal and did just about everything imaginable. They worked in libraries, conducted academic research, [and] painted buildings.
The financial pressures of the Great Depression made staying in school seem like a luxury to some…[T]he choice came down to paying for food or for college.
Citations
To combat the monster, President Franklin Roosevelt enacted the New Deal, a series of programs designed to give people a hand. Look in a history book. There are probably sets of initials like AAA, WPA, and TVA, each of which was a New Deal program. One of the programs, the NYA (National Youth Administration), had a division that was aimed specifically at young Black Americans. It was called the Division of Negro Affairs.
Black Americans went through a particularly rough stretch during the Great Depression. Unemployment rates were two to three times higher for Black people than for White people. Black Americans were also usually the first to lose their jobs when things went sour because of racial discrimination. What's worse, most New Deal programs were out of reach for people of color, as prejudiced administrators directed relief to White men.
To run the Division of Negro Affairs, Roosevelt turned to Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator whose accomplishments included opening a college, working tirelessly for civil rights, and starting an insurance company. Initially, Bethune wasn't sure she wanted the job. But when she was told that if she didn't take it, "they'll get a man," she reconsidered. When she started, Bethune set some ground rules. First, the NYA would have to allow Black youth to participate in numbers proportional to their share of the population. And second, the program would hire Black administrators to ensure that aid wasn't funneled only to White people.
The NYA assisted people who were enrolled in school and those who weren't. For young people attending school, the goal was to keep them there. The financial pressures of the Great Depression made staying in school seem like a luxury to some. Think about it: If the choice came down to paying for food or for college, which would be the top priority? Additionally, when young people dropped out of school, they provided more competition for jobs. That made things even harder for everyone.
To prevent this downward spiral, the NYA offered a deal. The program would give funds to help young people pay their tuition. In exchange, students would work part-time jobs that were in line with what they were studying. Many students took the deal and did just about everything imaginable. They worked in libraries, conducted academic research, painted buildings, made furniture, acted as guides at national parks, fixed plumbing, and even dug sewer ditches.
For people who couldn't afford to stay in school, the program provided training in areas where they could immediately help their communities. So, some young people were trained in home economics and gave food to those who needed it. Others were trained in nursing and helped people who had tuberculosis and other illnesses. Still others studied trades and fixed desks for schools, made parts for airplanes, and improved ramshackle buildings.
There were also some ambitious large-scale projects. Due to segregation, there weren't many public recreational opportunities for Black Americans. The nation was filled with parks, pools, and playgrounds, but they were almost all "Whites only." The NYA worked to solve this problem. In Georgia, 81 young Black men and women cleared a 150-acre (61-hectare) site. They made it into an outdoor camp for Black children. The camp included 24 cabins, a dining hall, 10 tennis courts, two basketball courts, and a swimming pool. Workers also built a 500-foot (152-meter) dam on a river that created a giant lake.
As World War II approached, the NYA changed direction. To help the country mobilize, many young Black Americans took jobs related to the war effort, like sewing, welding, and machine work. In the end, close to 300,000 Black youths participated in the NYA program, improving life for all Americans while learning essential skills that helped them acquire jobs when the economy gained strength.
QUESTION 6
6 / 8
Which passage from the Article best supports the idea that the NYA wanted to do more than just provide job skills and training for young Black Americans?
In Georgia, 81 young Black men and women cleared a 150-acre (61-hectare) site. They made it into an outdoor camp for Black children.
In the end, close to 300,000 Black youths participated in the NYA program…learning essential skills that helped them acquire jobs when the economy gained strength.
Many students took the deal and did just about everything imaginable. They worked in libraries, conducted academic research, [and] painted buildings.
The financial pressures of the Great Depression made staying in school seem like a luxury to some…[T]he choice came down to paying for food or for college.
Citations
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The passage that best supports the idea that the NYA wanted to do more than just provide job skills and training for young Black Americans is:
**"In Georgia, 81 young Black men and women cleared a 150-acre (61-hectare) site. They made it into an outdoor camp for Black children."**
This passage illustrates that the NYA was not only focused on job skills and training but also aimed to create recreational opportunities and improve the quality of life for Black children in the community, addressing broader social and cultural needs.
**"In Georgia, 81 young Black men and women cleared a 150-acre (61-hectare) site. They made it into an outdoor camp for Black children."**
This passage illustrates that the NYA was not only focused on job skills and training but also aimed to create recreational opportunities and improve the quality of life for Black children in the community, addressing broader social and cultural needs.