Writers of Great Depression recognized

The Dean B. Ellis Library, in conjunction with the Jonesboro Public Library, will be hosting a series of 1930s-inspired "Soul of a People: Voices From the Writer's Project" events and lectures through Nov. 1.

The program is sponsored by the American Library Association's Public Programs Office.

"Soul of a People" is a major documentary television program about the Federal Writer's Project produced by Spark Media, a Washington, D.C.-based production and outreach company. It broadcasts on the Smithsonian Channel HD. Additionally, the program is based on the book of the same title, written by David A. Taylor, who is also co-producer of the film, alongside Andrea Kalin, the film's director and president of Spark Media.

Beginning in the 1930s, as a division of Franklin Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, the Federal Writer's Project was instituted to hire white-collar workers to document American life through WPA travel guides. The purpose of the project was to create jobs and provide disaster relief in an attempt to revive the disastrous economic landscape left by the Great Depression.

However, the industry's director, Henry Alsberg, envisioned a greater purpose for his writers.

"These writers will get an education in the American scene," he said. "A great deal of real American writing comes out of seeing what is really happening to the American people."

The National Endowment for the Humanities awards grants of $2,500 that will be presented to 30 selected libraries that will showcase a total of five programs focused on the FWP.

According to the ALA's Web site, libraries will present programs that have been developed to represent the broad scope of Federal Writer's Project works, encourage scholar-led discussion about the project's major humanities themes, acquaint a new audience with the remarkable output of the Writer's Project and complement the broadcast of the documentary, "Soul of a People."

On the subject of scheduling the five programs, as well as the collaboration with the Jonesboro Public Library, April Sheppard, who wrote the grant application for ASU, had a lot to say.

"What we've tried to do is to incorporate our programming with the Public Library's celebration of the Jonesboro Sesquicentennial, as well as ASU's Centennial, which has made scheduling a little difficult because we don't want to overwork people," she said.

"Our first program was the state guides from the WPA, who hired FWP members to create guides for all 48 states, including the District of Columbia, which include local folklore and archeology, as well as a tour of the states, so readers can get an idea of what Arkansas was like back in the 1930's. Our lecturer was Michael Dougan, former history professor at ASU."

A second screening of the "Soul of a People" documentary will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the ASU museum.

Upcoming events include a soul of a people documentary film at 2 p.m. on Oct. 11, a Floods in Craighead County presentation at 2 p.m. on Oct.18, an Early Newspapers of Craighead County presentation at 2 p.m. on Oct 25, a Book Discussion of The House that George Built at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 and a Church Wars presentation at 2 p.m. on Nov. 1.

All of these events will be held at the Jonesboro Public Library in their Round Room.

"This is the first time that public programming in a national level has ever been centered around a documentary," Wright said. "Since the grant requires that we collaborate with a state library with FWP archives, we believe that this has really helped our relationship with the public library, as this is our first joint effort. I also feel we compliment each other and it's a benefit for both of us."