March 31, 1933 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt Signs Emergency Conservation Work Act, Creating the Civilian Conservation Corps

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that started in the United States after a major fall in stock prices. It was the longest, deepest, and most widespread depression of the 20th century. It began after a major fall in stock prices on September 4, 1929 and spread worldwidewith the stock market crash of October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. Some economies started to recover by the mid-1930s. However, in many countries, the negative effects of the Great Depression lasted until the beginning of World War II.

Men stand in line outside a depression soup kitchen, 1931, NARA

To help alleviate the devastating effects of joblessness, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) as part of FDR’s “New Deal.” The CCC would provide manual labor jobs related to the conservation and development of natural resources in rural lands owned by federal, state, and local governments.

Roosevelt made his request to Congress on March 21, 1933. Congress passed the enabling legislation on March 31, and Roosevelt signed it the same day. He then issued an executive order on April 5 creating the agency, appointing its director, and assigning War Department corps area commanders to begin enrollment. The first CCC enrollee was selected April 8, and subsequent lists of unemployed men were supplied by state and local welfare and relief agencies for immediate enrollment.

This voluntary public work relief program for unemployed, unmarried men operated from 1933 to 1942. Originally for young men ages 18–25, it was eventually expanded to ages 17–28.

Poster by Albert M. Bender, Illinois WPA Art Project Chicago (1935)

Through the course of its nine years in operation, 3 million young men participated in the CCC, which provided them with shelter, clothing, and food, together with a wage of $30 (equivalent to $590 in 2019) per month ($25 of which had to be sent home to their families).

By 1942, with World War II and the draft in operation, the need for work relief declined, and Congress voted to close the program.

CCC workers constructing a road in what is now Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 1933 (via National Archives)