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Race Relations in the 1930s and 1940s

Photographic Evidence of Racial Segregation

In the 1930s, as the photographers who worked for the Farm Security Administration took pictures across the United States, their primary purpose was to document the effects of the Depression, especially in rural America. They also, however, provided evidence of many other aspects of American life. Examine the photographs and captions below. Look for evidence of racial segregation and discrimination. Where might you look for evidence confirming the kinds of discrimination you identify in the pictures?

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sign

This Sign Means..., Chicago, 1941

 truck driver

Driver Asleep Under a Truck..., 1940
county fair

Greene County Fair, Georgia, 1941

 separate entrance

"Colored Entrance" of Movie House, Mississippi, 1939

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Last updated 09/26/2002