Encyclopedia of the Great Depression, edited by Robert S. McElvaine. 2 vols. 1,134p. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. 0-02-865686-5; 2003-10292. $265.
Encyclopedia of the Great Depression, edited by Robert S. McElvaine. 2 vols. 1,134p. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. 0-02-865686-5; 2003-10292. $265.
There are moments that define each generation: the assassination of a president, the television appearance of four young foreigners, a step on the moon. Other experiences are far more enduring. For Southerners, the Civil War and its aftermath were the means by which they judged the character of individuals and each succeeding event in their lives. Their trials and difficulties would shape their decisions for the rest of their lives. The stories they told their children and grandchildren affected attitudes and behaviors for a century to come. For most 20th-century Americans, the Great Depression was that defining experience.
The foundations of families and communities were shaken as millions lost their homes and all they had worked for. Trust in banks and governmental institutions was severely undermined. Fundamentalist faiths and congregations, on the other hand, were much strengthened. The memory of the Depression still looms large in the American psyche. The fear of its possible return underlies the near obsessions of economists and officials with each dip in the stock market or employment. Images of breadlines and homeless haunt members of Congress who are unwilling to modify the promises of Social Security or Medicare. Such ghosts mark the debates of every major election.
From Wall Street suicides to farm foreclosures, this new encyclopedia examines the myths and realities of the Great Depression. From the origins of the economic crisis to the ending of the depression during World War II, 270 scholars explore all aspects of the period in 542 articles ranging from 300 to 5,000 words in length. The Dust Bowl, soup kitchens, hunger marches, riots, strikes, prohibition and organized crime are among the topics treated. So too are fascists, communists, socialists, conservative coalitions and other groups who gained adherents as the country became both politically and economically polarized. Selected articles do describe the economic crisis in Canada, Mexico and other areas of the world, but the overwhelming emphasis is upon the effects in the United States. Extended essays demonstrate the impact of the Depression on specific groups: women, children, gays, African Americans and immigrants. However, life went on and new forms of consumerism emerged, as is reflected in numerous articles on radio, comics, popular music and movies. Many entries feature the new heroes and celebrities of the age: Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Edward G. Robinson, Will Rogers, Orson Welles, John Steinbeck, Jesse Owens and Joe Louis. Of course, from Huey Long to Franklin Roosevelt, politics dominates the discussion. Not surprisingly, much space is devoted to the many New Deal initiatives to provide jobs and end the Depression. These include the collection of slave narratives, the American Guide Series and art projects, as well as the Soil Conservation Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the National Labor Relations Board. Great use is made of the photography of the era in 300 illustrations. The essays are all easily intelligible to the student and general reader, so this set will serve high school, college and public libraries well.