May 6, 1935
In response to the prolonged Great Depression, the U. S. Congress created the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Their aim was to employ as many people as possible to build lasting projects that would benefit local communities. The WPA was especially impactful in Oklahoma- 119,000 of 166,000 Oklahomans certified for the program was employed by the WPA between 1935 and 1937.
Read more about the WPA in Oklahoma at the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.
Explore WPA projects in the WPA region reports at the Oklahoma Historical Society website.