Hooverville in Central Park

Unknown, Hooverville. (Central Park, New York City, 1931)

This picture shows the complete isolation of these communities from the rest of society and challenges that these homeless people who lived in Hoovervilles faced. This particular Hooverville is located in Central Park but it is not the only one. In New York City alone there were at least three other Hoovervilles . This picture puts the challenge that Franklin D. Roosevelt faced in whole new perspective. The picture also shows the serious the need for a champion of the common man and that was a role that FDR was very good at during his presidency.

In the picture there are about eight shacks in each of these there could be up to twelve people living in each one. There are also two young boys talking to each other. Then the flag of the United States that even in these hard times they have flying. There are also two adults looking up at the flag as if wishing for something good to happen for this country. To me it looks like the one in black coat facing the flag with his back to us as his hand over his heart in a salute. This picture was taken in 1931 and the depression would only get worse in the next year. According to Warren with the economy only getting worse leading up to the Presidential Election of 1932 a man offered to show both candidates the places like Hooverville and other slums. He thought by seeing these places they would realize the full seriousness of the economic situation (238). I think it says something about how bad the Hoovervilles were when someone thought that seeing them summed up the problems with the United States.

In New York City alone there were tens of thousands of people who were forced to live on the streets. Most of these people formed communities that they called Hoovervilles after the president at the time Herbert Hoover. One of the largest of these communities was located in Central Park. Strangely it was a big tourist attraction because of the performances put on by the people of Hooverville. Some of these people were former circus acts, musicians, or other artists (Batcher 723).

Batcher reports that in the year of this photo 1931 there were almost two hundred thousand people who were kicked out of their apartment because they could not pay rent. Some people to prevent eviction had to sell their valuables so they could pay rent. Others would move apartment to apartment and just leave before they had to pay. Some that lost their homes had to leave there furniture because they could no longer pay the interest form when they bought on credit. In Philadelphia there were about thirteen hundred evictions per month the years after the crash. To top it off the stress and anxiety levels of Americans were very high at this time.

Batcher believes that many of the businesses after the collapse made huge cuts, and consumers stopped buying anything that was not absolutely necessary. Businesses cut millions of jobs to try and run at the bare minimum (722). This is ironic because what the economy needs to recover is surge of new jobs and money back in not screeching halt to recover. The way to recover in other words is what Franklin D. Roosevelt did with New Deal in trying to bring jobs back to the market

Work Citied

1 ”Hooverville in Central Park.” Hooverville and the Depression: 1930-1932. Web. 27 January 2010

2. Batcher, Bob. “Great Depression in the Northeast.” Encyclopedia of the Great Depression. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillian, 2004

3. Warren, Harris Gaylord. Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1967. Print.