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National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933

Economists, scholars, politicians, and the public at large were deeply divided as to the underlying causes of the Great Depression and the best means to bring it to an end. In the months following Roosevelt’s inauguration, his advisers, along with members of Congress and representatives from business and labor, drafted the legislation that was introduced in Congress on May 15, 1933, as the National Industrial Recovery Act. The division of opinions about the Depression was reflected in those who drafted NIRA, and the act drew both praise and criticism from across the political spectrum. Nevertheless, the urgency of the economic situation (with unemployment exceeding 30 percent in many parts of the country) pressured Congress to act.

Federal Emergency Relief Act of 1933

Text from the The Federal Emergency Relief Act of 1933

Emergency Relief and Construction Act of 1932

President Herbert Hoover said: “I expect to sign the relief bill on Tuesday. I do wish to express the appreciation which I have and I know that the country has to those leaders of both political parties who have cooperated to put the bill into effective shape and to eliminate the destructive proposals which were from time to time injected into it.

Triangle Waist Company Fire (Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire)

The fire at the Triangle Waist Company in New York City, which claimed the lives of 146 young immigrant workers, is one of the worst disasters since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. This incident has had great significance to this day because it highlights the inhumane working conditions to which industrial workers can be subjected. To many, its horrors epitomize the extremes of industrialism. The tragedy still dwells in the collective memory of the nation and of the international labor movement. The victims of the tragedy are still celebrated as martyrs at the hands of industrial greed.

Zimand, Savel

Savel Zimand (1891-1967 ) Journalist and Administrator of Health Services Savel Zimand was born in Iasi, Romania, on May 14, 1891. After studying at the University of Berlin’s Seminar of Oriental Languages and the Höhere Webeschule from 1909 to 1912, he emigrated to the United States in 1913 and became a naturalized citizen in 1919. …

Zimand, Gertrude Folks

Gertrude Folks Zimand (1894-1966): Child Welfare Advocate and Reformer Gertrude Folks Zimand was born September 28, 1894 in New York City, the second of three daughters. Her mother was Maud (nee Beard) Folks, a champion of woman suffrage. Her father was the noted social worker and reformer Homer Folks . As an undergraduate at Vassar…

Youngdahl, Benjamin Emmanual

Benjamin Emmanual Youngdahl (1897-1970) Public Welfare Administrator and Educator Introduction: Benjamin Youngdahl was a public welfare administrator, educator and lecturer. At various times he served as president of the American Association of Social Work (1951-53), Career: Benjamin E. Youngdahl was born in 1897 and became a distinguished public welfare administrator and social work educator….

Young, Whitney M. Jr

A noted civil rights leader and statesman, Young worked to eradicate discrimination against blacks and poor people. He served on numerous national boards and advisory committees and received many honorary degrees and awards —including the Medal of Freedom (1969), presented by President Lyndon Johnson—for his outstanding civil rights accomplishments.

Witte, Ernest

Ernest Witte (1904-1986) — Social Worker, Educator and Administrator Ernest Frederick Witte was a social work educator and administrator. In 1939,Ernest Witte was named the director of the University of Washington School of Social Work. Witte expands the curriculum, adopts a two-year master’s program and offers fieldwork experiences in community planning, juvenile justice, child…

Witte, Edwin E.

Edwin E. Witte ( 1887 – 1960 ) — Reformer, Teacher, Administrator and Father of Social Security Edwin Witte’s career was approximately evenly divided between university teaching and serving as a State or Federal official. For him these areas of activity were closely related. He was a part of the “Wisconsin Idea” of public…