eBook

Black Culture and the New Deal

Sklaroff, Lauren Rebecca

2009,2014

Overview

In the 1930s, the Roosevelt administration--unwilling to antagonize a powerful southern congressional bloc--refused to endorse legislation that openly sought to improve political, economic, and social conditions for African Americans. Instead, as historian Lauren Rebecca Sklaroff shows, the administration recognized and celebrated African Americans by offering federal support to notable black intellectuals, celebrities, and artists.Sklaroff illustrates how programs within the Federal Arts Projects and several war agencies gave voice to such notable African Americans as Lena Horne, Joe Louis, Duke Ellington, and Richard Wright, as well as lesser-known figures. She argues that these New Deal programs represent a key moment in the history of American race relations, as the cultural arena provided black men and women with unique employment opportunities and new outlets for political expression. Equally important, she contends that these cultural programs were not merely an attempt to appease a black constituency but were also part of the New Deal's larger goal of promoting a multiracial nation. Yet, while federal projects ushered in creativity and unprecedented possibilities, they were also subject to censorship, bigotry, and political machinations.With numerous illustrations,Black Culture and the New Dealoffers a fresh perspective on the New Deal's racial progressivism and provides a new framework for understanding black culture and politics in the Roosevelt era.

• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press,University of North Carolina Press
• Subject: 1933-1945 / 20th Century / African American Studies / African Americans / African Americans -- Civil rights -- History -- 20th century / African Americans -- Intellectual life -- 20th century / Art and state / Art and state -- United States -- History -- 20th century / Arts / Blacks / Civil rights / Cultural policy / Ethnic Studies / HISTORY / Intellectual life / Intellectuals / New Deal / New Deal, 1933-1939 / Political aspects / Politics and government / Race relations / Social change / Social change -- United States -- History -- 20th century / SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / U.S.A / United States / United States -- Cultural policy -- History -- 20th century / United States -- Politics and government -- 1933-1945 / United States -- Race relations -- Political aspects -- History -- 20th century
• ISBN: 9780807833124, 0807833126, 9781469619064, 1469619067