The Federal Writers‘ Project and the Creation of American Cultural Memory (eBook, ePUB)

The Federal Writers‘ Project and the Creation of American Cultural Memory by Dean Wallace explores the profound impact of the Federal Writers‘ Project (FWP) on American cultural identity during the Great Depression and beyond. Established as part of the New Deal, the FWP sought to provide employment for writers while documenting the experiences of marginalized communities across the United States. Through its state guidebooks, oral histories, folklore collections, and social histories, the FWP not only preserved the stories of everyday Americans but also redefined the American narrative by highlighting the lives of the working poor, African Americans, Native Americans, and migrant workers. This book examines how the FWP challenged prevailing social and political structures, laying the intellectual groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement, labor activism, and the broader cultural shift toward recognizing the diverse experiences that shape American identity. By blending literary, historical, and photographic documentation, Wallace demonstrates how the FWP created a new framework for understanding national memory and contributed to shaping the American cultural landscape for generations to come.