The Great Depression

With the crash of the stock market in 1929 came the crash of the optimism the 20's had brought around. All the hard work women put in in the 20's fell apart; flappers disappeared, and young people rethought marriage altogether. Low wages brought around unemployment for a hundred thousand workers each week. It was tough for anyone to get a job. Men felt like failures because they could not provide for their families. Some men left their homes while others turned to alcoholism and even suicide. Men were frustrated with women in the workplace because of the fact that there were limited jobs for all.

African American women were discriminated against, often finding jobs as domestic laborers but still finding that they were not being paid enough to support their families. During this time however, the idea was back to "a woman's place is in the home." Many men put the blame on women for there not being enough jobs. Someone needed to be the scapegoat in this situation and women were it.

Families grouped together to aid each other in their time of need and poverty. Women rekindled their skills in the home, helping to stretch provisions, mend clothing, and plant gardens. Charities and religious groups set up soup kitchens thanks to women workers. Many farm families were out of luck however. While urban families faced starvation, rural families were struggling to sell their good for what they were actually worth. Many switched to cash crops to make more money but ended up limiting themselves on food. They were forced to dress their children in flower sacks. Rural women showed ingenuity as well; cooking from scratch, getting water from wells, and working long hours in the fields.