Soul of a People  

Hundreds of thousands of people had lost their jobs. Banks were collapsing. People could not pay mortgages and abandoned their homes. This was America in 1933, and Franklin D. Roosevelt had just been elected president. To alleviate the crisis in the country’s economic and political systems, Roosevelt quickly created the still controversial Works Progress Administration (WPA) to put people back to work, building roads, bridges, and schools.

This summer, Linebaugh Public Library System is sponsoring a series of programs about the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP), one small part of the mammoth WPA initiative. Instead of building roads and bridges, the FWP’s formerly jobless writers and artists helped create a remarkable portrait in words of something less tangible: the country’s soul.

Programs will be held in Murfreesboro through September. To remind our community of what life was like during the Depression, the library hosted special displays of photographs, documents, and household items from the Depression era. The library will also be collecting oral histories by appointment. In the spirit of the FWP, the library will be interviewing seniors about how the Great Depression affected their lives, and will also interview people of all ages about how the current economic downturn is affecting them now. The collected histories will be donated to the Albert Gore Research Center at MTSU. To schedule an appointment for an interview, please call Jerianne Thompson at 615-893-4131.

Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story is a major documentary television program about the Federal Writers’ Project produced by Spark Media, Washington D.C., scheduled for broadcast later this year on the Smithsonian Channel HD (www.smithsonianchannel.com). Soul of a People programs in libraries are sponsored by the American Library Association Public Programs Office, with the support of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life.

• Learn more about the Federal Writers' Project.

• Take a tour of New Deal sites in Murfreesboro.

Scheduled Programs

• Soul of a People Celebration - May 9, noon - 3 p.m., Linebaugh Library: Take a step back in time, as Linebaugh Library hosts a day-long look at the Great Depression for all ages. At noon, the library will host a soup line on the patio next to the children's room, with a glimpse what life was like in a Hooverville. At 1 p.m. in the Reading Room, Dr. Kristine McCusker, history professor at MTSU, will give a brief presentation about the Great Depression and the role that the Federal Writers' Project played in our nation's recovery. Following this, retired journalist Hank Haines and other local seniors will share their memories of living through the Depression. Throughout the day the library will play music and radio programs from the 1930s, including songs by Uncle Dave Macon. Children will have a chance to win a prize in the Name That Price contest. Photographs, documents, and other items will be on display, to give a glimpse of what life was like for people who lived through the Depression. In addition, the library will record oral histories with people of all ages, discussing how the Great Depression affected their lives and/or how the current economic downturn is affecting them now. The collected histories will be donated to the Albert Gore Research Center at MTSU.
   

• Soul of a People Screening and Antiques Discussion - May 29, 5:30 - 8 p.m., Patterson Park Community Center: LPLS will sponsor a screening of excerpts from the Soul of a People documentary and a discussion of Depression-era antiques on May 29 at the Patterson Park Community Center. At 6 p.m. there will be a discussion of Depression-era antiques. C.B. Arnette, local historian and former owner of Arnette Antique Galleries, and Greg Tidwell from Bell Jewelers will be on hand to evaluate small items brought in by audience members. For example, glassware was given as a premium at movie theaters and with the purchase of various products; since then Depression glass has become a popular collectible.  At 7 p.m., clips from the documentary will be shown. Following this, Dr. Kristine McCusker, history professor at MTSU, will lead a discussion about the impact and legacy of the Federal Writers' Project. This free program is open to school-age children and adults; refreshments will be served.  
   

•  Studs Terkel Discussion - An examination of one of the Federal Writers’ Project contributors, focusing on his books Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression and Hope Dies Last: Keeping the Faith in Difficult Times. - June 2, 6:30 p.m., Linebaugh Library, teenagers & adults & June 23, 6:30 p.m., Smyrna Library, teenagers & adults
   

• Tennessee Folktales - The Boro Tellers will share folktales collected by the Tennessee Writers’ Project and other regional stories - June 9, 10 a.m., Smyrna Library & June 9, 2 p.m., Linebaugh Library, all ages
   

• ‘But Mr. Roosevelt was gonna save us all’: The New Deal and the South - Dr. Kristine M. McCusker will present a lecture about the effects of the New Deal on Murfreesboro and Tennessee, including a presentation on selected American Life Histories and Slave Narratives - June 16, 7 p.m., BAS building @ MTSU, teenagers & adults
   

• Discovering Family Roots through New Deal Documents - Rutherford County Genealogist Susan Daniel will lead a genealogy research workshop featuring historical and genealogical documents and indexes compiled by Works Progress Administration staff during the Great Depression. Ms. Daniel will guide participants through the vast collection of books and microfilm available in the Library's collection and help with genealogical research questions. Participants are asked to bring pencil and paper. - July 7, 7 p.m., Linebaugh Library, adults
   

• Uncle Dave Macon Days – Activities will include a screening of of clips from the Soul of a People documentary and from the locally produced documentary Uncle Dave Macon Days: Tribute to Old Time Music & Dance. The library also will record oral histories with people of all ages, discussing how the Great Depression affected their lives and/or how the current economic downturn is affecting them now.  - July 10-12, Cannonsburg & Linebaugh Library
   

• Documentary Screening - Linebaugh Library will offer a free local screening of the documentary Soul of a People: Writing America's Story at 1 p.m. on September 19 in the Story Room on the first floor. The 1 hour, 44 minute-long documentary will be shown in its entirety; free popcorn will be provided. Soul of a People premiers on September 6 on the Smithsonian Channel HD.

Above images courtesy of the Library of Congress.
 

Program Sponsors