| The depression caused millions of Americans, 17 | | | | whites received. African Americans did not |
| percent of whites and 38 percent of African | | | | complain out of fear of loosing their job in such a |
| Americans, to be unable to support themselves. | | | | corrupt system. When wages were raised, |
| In cities, there were between three and four | | | | employers would often ignore their African |
| times more African Americans than whites | | | | American employees. Needless to say the National |
| receiving some form of relief. In 1935, one fourth | | | | Industrial Recovery Act was deemed |
| of the one and a half million black workers were | | | | unconstitutional several years later. |
| on relief. In Atlanta, 65 percent of black workers | | | | In terms of agriculture, the Agricultural |
| needed public assistance and in Norfolk, Virginia, | | | | Adjustment Administration tried to help crop |
| more than 80 percent were on relief. This relief, | | | | reduction by giving farmers cash benefits for |
| however, was not given without a basis of race | | | | under producing their crops and cattle. The |
| or color. Even supposedly religious and charitable | | | | Agricultural Adjustment Administration increased |
| organizations forbad African Americans from soup | | | | farmers benefits by billions, yet most of the |
| kitchens. Some work relief programs too limited | | | | money intended for black farm owners |
| their benefits only to white workers. In terms of | | | | disappeared and did not find its destination. |
| public assistance, there was sometimes as high as | | | | Sharecropping was also common practice at the |
| a six dollar per month difference in the relief given | | | | time, and since many African Americans could not |
| to African Americans versus the relief given to | | | | afford to buy their own land, they would work |
| whites. | | | | someone else's land in the sharecropping system. |
| When Roosevelt won the white house his "New | | | | Many times, the land owners would keep |
| Deal" took many measures to jump start the | | | | government checks addressed to their illiterate |
| economy which effected blacks both positively | | | | land tenants. This did not only effect blacks, but |
| and adversely. The National Industrial Recovery | | | | white Americans as well. These black and white |
| act had very few African Americans represented | | | | farmers created the Southern Tenant Farmers |
| at its meetings and its codes frequently gave | | | | Union which was opposed by planters on the basis |
| African Americans lower minimum wages than | | | | of racial prejudices. |