Southern Agricultural Labor, 1900-1950

FAIN: FA-12324-78

Peter Daniel
Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC 20560-0001)

Using traditional historical manuscript sources supplemented by oral history, legal sources, photographs and literature, this study will assess southern agricultural labor from 1900 to 1950. This research will explore the major themes of technological change in rural areas, the impact of the federal government on agriculture, and the migration of farmers to urban areas. Three major themes will be developed: (1) studies of the great migration of blacks and whites within the South; (2) the impact of New Deal acreage reduction programs upon agricultural labor; and (3) the technological innovations in farm machinery, communications, and transportation.