Works Progress Administration Archives

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) Archives are collections of historical documents, photos, and recordings created during the New Deal era in the 1930s and 1940s. The WPA was a government program that provided jobs for millions of Americans during the Great Depression, often in public works projects and arts. The archives include valuable records of that period, capturing everyday life, government activities, and artistic efforts. These materials help researchers, historians, and the public understand the economic, social, and cultural history of that transformative era in American history.