Which New Deal agency employed artists, musicians, actors, journalists, academics, poets, and novelists?

Which New Deal agency employed artists, musicians, actors, journalists, academics, poets, and novelists?

• A. National Labor Relations Board
• B. Civil Works Administration
• C. American Humanities Commission
• D. Works Progress Administration

Answer: (D)

This question looks at how the New Deal funded culture and provided work for people during the Great Depression. The Works Progress Administration stands out because in 1935 it launched the Federal Project Number One, a set of programs specifically designed to employ artists, musicians, actors, journalists, academics, poets, and novelists. Through this initiative, thousands found paid work and produced lasting public art, writing, and performances. Concrete parts of this effort included the Federal Art Project, which created murals and other works for public spaces; the Federal Writers’ Project, which produced guides, histories, and oral histories; the Federal Theatre Project, which staged plays; and the Federal Music Project, which supported composers and musicians. This broad, culture-centered employment aligns with the goal of providing relief while enriching American culture. The other options relate to labor relations, general public-works jobs without a sustained arts focus, or are not prominent New Deal agencies, so they don’t fit as well.

This question looks at how the New Deal funded culture and provided work for people during the Great Depression. The Works Progress Administration stands out because in 1935 it launched the Federal Project Number One, a set of programs specifically designed to employ artists, musicians, actors, journalists, academics, poets, and novelists. Through this initiative, thousands found paid work and produced lasting public art, writing, and performances. Concrete parts of this effort included the Federal Art Project, which created murals and other works for public spaces; the Federal Writers’ Project, which produced guides, histories, and oral histories; the Federal Theatre Project, which staged plays; and the Federal Music Project, which supported composers and musicians. This broad, culture-centered employment aligns with the goal of providing relief while enriching American culture. The other options relate to labor relations, general public-works jobs without a sustained arts focus, or are not prominent New Deal agencies, so they don’t fit as well.