The Great Depression
South Carolina and the nation were moving twoard some hard times. There were growing problems in business. A DEPRESSION is a time hwen many people can't make enough money to carefor their families. They want to work, but they can't find the jobs. The depression of the 1930's was the worst the United States has ever known. It is called the GREAT DEPRESSION.
Son of sharecropper family at work in the cotton near Chesnee, South Carolina 1937 June. photographer: Dorothea Lange
Unemployment
In South Carolina, theings got even worse. Cotton prices fell even more. Farmers where now making less than five cents a pound. Many of the cotton mills let workers go. Some of the mills just shut down. People who borrowed money from the banks couldn't pay the money back. This meant that banks didn;t have any money, so they closed. They could not give people their money Many people lost their life savings.
Poverty
People were out of work and hungry. Where could they go for help? Back then, there were no laws that let the government give aid. Poverty was every where. In many counties, one out of every three people was out of work. Many families lost their homes. Many moved in with relatives. A newspaper in Columbia reported that over 100 people were living in the city dump. The depression was hard on African American families. Their incomes had been low even before the depression. Often, black workers lost their jobs before white workers. people tried to help each other as much as they could. They opened soup kitchens to serve meals to hungry people. Local police and firemen collected food and gave it to families who had no money. Children were hungry and without proper clothing. Children went without shoes and warm clothes for the winter, and were forced to work at such a young age.
Port Royal, South Carolina. Oyster Shuckers 1910-1930
