Alphabet Soup of Agencies

During Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (FDR) first hundred days he created a long list of executive orders and congressional acts that reporters would label the “Alphabet Soup of Agencies”, since so many of these agencies had acronyms to identify them. All the programs he created help Oklahomans during the depression and in the future, but some were substantial in both providing a relief and an increase of hope for their future. Although in the beginning these programs gave a quick and large boost to the economy and unemployment, they were found insufficient to sustain the economy for the long period of the depression and it was not until the beginning of World War 2 and its need for defense production that finally brought the United States and Oklahomans out of the depression. These programs help in areas of Agricultural, Business, and Employment and thus helped in every aspect of those in need. Some of the highlighted and largest to impact those within the state of Oklahoma are listed here:

• Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) – May 1933
• The National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) – May 1933
  • Title I – National Recovery Administration
  • Title II – Public Works Administration
• Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) – May 1933
• Civilian Works Administration
• Emergency Conservation Work Act (also known as Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) – March 31, 1933
• Public Buildings Branch (PBB)
• National Youth Administration (NYA)
• Works Progress Administration (WPA)
• Flood Control Act of 1936
• Shelterbelt Project
• Federal Project One

Although many more agencies were created throughout the depression years of 1933-1943, these were most successful in assisting Oklahomans during the depression and thus are listed here.

This page is still being developed